bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased Excess Intracellular Cyclic di-AMP Levels Impair Growth and Virulence of Bacillus anthracis
Authors: Hu Jia , Zhang Gaobo , Liang Leiqin , Lei Chengfeng , Sun Xiulian
Published: February 2020

Anthrax is an ancient and deadly disease caused by the spore-forming bacterial pathogen
Bacillus anthracis
. Vegetative cells of this species produce anthrax toxin proteins and S-layer components during infection of mammalian hosts. So far, how the expression of these virulence factors is regulated remains largely unknown. Our results suggest that excess elevated c-di-AMP levels inhibit bacterial growth and reduce expression of S-layer components and anthracis toxins as well as reduce virulence in a mouse model of disease. These results indicate that c-di-AMP signaling plays crucial roles in
B. anthracis
biology and disease.
Evaluation of Cycle Threshold, Toxin Concentration, and Clinical Characteristics of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Patients with Discordant Diagnostic Test Results
Authors: Shah Megan D. , Balada-Llasat Joan-Miquel , Coe Kelci , Reed Erica , Sandlund Johanna , Pancholi Preeti
Published: February 2020

Clostridioides difficile
infection (CDI) is one of the most common health care-associated infections that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. CDI diagnosis involves laboratory testing in conjunction with clinical assessment. The objective of this study was to assess the performance of various
C. difficile
tests and to compare clinical characteristics, Xpert
C. difficile
/Epi (PCR) cycle threshold (

C
T

), and Singulex Clarity C.
Systemic Expression of a Viral RdRP Protects against Retrovirus Infection and Disease
Authors: Miller Caitlin M. , Barrett Bradley S. , Chen Jianfang , Morrison James H. , Radomile Caleb , Santiago Mario L. , Poeschla Eric M.
Published: February 2020

Immune control of retroviruses is notoriously difficult, a fundamental problem that has been most clinically consequential with the HIV-1 pandemic. As humans expand further into previously uninhabited areas, the likelihood of new zoonotic retroviral exposures increases. The role of the innate immune system, including ISGs, in controlling retroviral infections is currently an area of intensive study. This work provides evidence that a primed innate immune system is an effective defense against retroviral pathogenesis, resulting in reduced viral replication and burden of disease outcomes. RdRP mice also had considerably lower Friend retrovirus (FV) viremia. The results could have implications for harnessing ISG responses to reduce transmission or control pathogenesis of human retroviral pathogens.
Benefits and Perils of Necroptosis in Influenza Virus Infection
Authors: Balachandran Siddharth , Rall Glenn F.
Published: February 2020

Influenza A viruses (IAV) are lytic viruses that have recently been found to activate necroptosis in many of the cell types they infect. Necroptotic cell death is potently immunogenic and limits IAV spread by directly eliminating infected cells and by mobilizing both innate and adaptive immune responses. The benefits of necroptosis to the host, however, may sometimes be outweighed by the potentially deleterious hyperinflammatory consequences of activating this death modality in pulmonary and other tissues.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Associated Exosomes Promote Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Infection via the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor
Authors: Chen Lechuang , Feng Zhimin , Yuan Guoxiang , Emerson Corey C. , Stewart Phoebe L. , Ye Fengchun , Jin Ge
Published: February 2020

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causal agent for Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), the most common malignancy in HIV/AIDS patients. Oral transmission through saliva is considered the most common route for spreading the virus among HIV/AIDS patients. However, the role of HIV-specific components in the cotransfection of KSHV is unclear. We demonstrate that exosomes purified from the saliva of HIV-positive patients and secreted by HIV-infected T-cell lines promote KSHV infectivity in immortalized and primary oral epithelial cells. HIV-associated exosomes promote KSHV infection, which depends on HIVtrans-activation response element (TAR) RNA and EGFR of oral epithelial cells, which can be targeted for reducing KSHV infection. These results reveal that HIV-associated exosomes are a risk factor for KSHV infection in the HIV-infected population.
Integrated Assessment of Viral Transcription, Antigen Presentation, and CD8+T Cell Function Reveals Multiple Limitations of Class I-Selective Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors during HIV-1 Latency Reversal
Authors: Mota Talia M. , McCann Chase D. , Danesh Ali , Huang Szu-Han , Magat Dean B. , Ren Yanqin , Leyre Louise , Bui Tracy D. , Rohwetter Thomas M. , Kovacs Colin M. , Benko Erika , MacLaren Lynsay , Wimpelberg Avery , Cannon Christopher M. , Hardy W. David , Safrit Jeffrey T. , Jones R. Brad
Published: February 2020

Antiretroviral (ARV) drug regimens suppress HIV-1 replication but are unable to cure infection. This leaves people living with HIV-1 burdened by a lifelong commitment to expensive daily medication. Furthermore, it has become clear that ARV therapy does not fully restore health, leaving individuals at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancers, and neurocognitive disorders, as well as leaving them exposed to stigma. Efforts are therefore under way to develop therapies capable of curing infection. A key focus of these efforts has been on a class of drugs called histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), which have the potential of exposing hidden reservoirs of HIV-1 to elimination by the immune system. Unfortunately, clinical trial results with HDACi have thus far been disappointing. In the current study, we integrate a number of experimental approaches to build a model that provides insights into the limited activity of HDACi in clinical trials and offers direction for future approaches.
Management of acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Phipps Michael S , Cronin Carolyn A
Published: February 2020

Stroke is the leading cause of long term disability in developed countries and one of the top causes of mortality worldwide. The past decade has seen substantial advances in the diagnostic and treatment options available to minimize the impact of acute ischemic stroke. The key first step in stroke care is early identification of patients with stroke and triage to centers capable of delivering the appropriate treatment, as fast as possible. Here, we review the data supporting pre-hospital and emergency stroke care, including use of emergency medical services protocols for identification of patients with stroke, intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke including updates to recommended patient eligibility criteria and treatment time windows, and advanced imaging techniques with automated interpretation to identify patients with large areas of brain at risk but without large completed infarcts who are likely to benefit from endovascular thrombectomy in extended time windows from symptom onset. We also review protocols for management of patient physiologic parameters to minimize infarct volumes and recent updates in secondary prevention recommendations including short term use of dual antiplatelet therapy to prevent recurrent stroke in the high risk period immediately after stroke. Finally, we discuss emerging therapies and questions for future research.
Genetic factors and risk of type 2 diabetes among women with a history of gestational diabetes: findings from two independent populations
Authors: Li Mengying , Rahman Mohammad L , Wu Jing , Ding Ming , Chavarro Jorge E , Lin Yuan , Ley Sylvia H , Bao Wei , Grunnet Louise G , Hinkle Stefanie N , Thuesen Anne Cathrine B , Yeung Edwina , Gore-Langton Robert E , Sherman Seth , Hjort Line , Kampmann Freja Bach , Bjerregaard Anne Ahrendt , Damm Peter , Tekola-Ayele Fasil , Liu Aiyi , Mills James L , Vaag Allan , Olsen Sjurdur F , Hu Frank B , Zhang Cuilin
Published: February 2020

Objective

Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have an exceptionally high risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Yet, little is known about genetic determinants for T2D in this population. We examined the association of a genetic risk score (GRS) with risk of T2D in two independent populations of women with a history of GDM and how this association might be modified by non-genetic determinants for T2D.

Research design and methods

This cohort study included 2434 white women with a history of GDM from the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHSII, n=1884) and the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC, n=550). A GRS for T2D was calculated using 59 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms for T2D identified from genome-wide association studies in European populations. An alternate healthy eating index (AHEI) score was derived to reflect dietary quality after the pregnancy affected by GDM.

Results

Women on average were followed for 21 years in NHSII and 13 years in DNBC, during which 446 (23.7%) and 155 (28.2%) developed T2D, respectively. The GRS was generally positively associated with T2D risk in both cohorts. In the pooled analysis, the relative risks (RRs) for increasing quartiles of GRS were 1.00, 0.97, 1.25 and 1.19 (p trend=0.02). In both cohorts, the association appeared to be stronger among women with poorer (AHEI <median) than better dietary quality (AHEI ≥median), although the interaction was not significant. For example, in NHSII, the RRs across increasing quartiles of GRS were 1.00, 0.99, 1.51 and 1.29 (p trend=0.06) among women with poorer dietary quality and 1.00, 0.83, 0.81 and 0.94 (p trend=0.79) among women with better dietary quality (p interaction=0.11).

Conclusions

Among white women with a history of GDM, higher GRS for T2D was associated with an increased risk of T2D.
ApoCIII-Lp(a) complexes in conjunction with Lp(a)-OxPL predict rapid progression of aortic stenosis
Authors: Capoulade Romain , Torzewski Michael , Mayr Manuel , Chan Kwan-Leung , Mathieu Patrick , Bossé Yohan , Dumesnil Jean G , Tam James , Teo Koon K , Burnap Sean A. , Schmid Jens , Gobel Nora , Franke Ulrich F W , Sanchez Amber , Witztum Joseph L , Yang Xiaohong , Yeang Calvin , Arsenault Benoit , Després Jean-Pierre , Pibarot Philippe , Tsimikas Sotirios
Published: February 2020

Objective

This study assessed whether apolipoprotein CIII-lipoprotein(a) complexes (ApoCIII-Lp(a)) associate with progression of calcific aortic valve stenosis (AS).

Methods

Immunostaining for ApoC-III was performed in explanted aortic valve leaflets in 68 patients with leaflet pathological grades of 1–4. Assays measuring circulating levels of ApoCIII-Lp(a) complexes were measured in 218 patients with mild–moderate AS from the AS Progression Observation: Measuring Effects of Rosuvastatin (ASTRONOMER) trial. The progression rate of AS, measured as annualised changes in peak aortic jet velocity (Vpeak), and combined rates of aortic valve replacement (AVR) and cardiac death were determined. For further confirmation of the assay data, a proteomic analysis of purified Lp(a) was performed to confirm the presence of apoC-III on Lp(a).

Results

Immunohistochemically detected ApoC-III was prominent in all grades of leaflet lesion severity. Significant interactions were present between ApoCIII-Lp(a) and Lp(a), oxidised phospholipids on apolipoprotein B-100 (OxPL-apoB) or on apolipoprotein (a) (OxPL-apo(a)) with annualised Vpeak(all p<0.05). After multivariable adjustment, patients in the top tertile of both apoCIII-Lp(a) and Lp(a) had significantly higher annualised Vpeak(p<0.001) and risk of AVR/cardiac death (p=0.03). Similar results were noted with OxPL-apoB and OxPL-apo(a). There was no association between autotaxin (ATX) on ApoB and ATX on Lp(a) with faster progression of AS. Proteomic analysis of purified Lp(a) showed that apoC-III was prominently present on Lp(a).

Conclusion

ApoC-III is present on Lp(a) and in aortic valve leaflets. Elevated levels of ApoCIII-Lp(a) complexes in conjunction with Lp(a), OxPL-apoB or OxPL-apo(a) identify patients with pre-existing mild–moderate AS who display rapid progression of AS and higher rates of AVR/cardiac death.

Trial registration

NCT00800800.
Blunted circulating irisin in adults with type 1 diabetes during aerobic exercise in a hot environment: a pilot study
Authors: McCormick James J. , Notley Sean R. , Yardley Jane E. , Sigal Ronald J. , Kenny Glen P.
Published: February 2020

Irisin is a novel myokine associated with increased metabolism, which may be upregulated in type 1 diabetes (T1D) during exercise-heat stress. We therefore assessed serum irisin production in young adults with and without T1D during incremental exercise in dry-heat (35 °C). The change in irisin during exercise was lower in individuals with compared with without T1D (−1.79 (SEM 25.68) vs. 59.74 (SEM 79.63) pg/mL; p = 0.024), indicating that irisin expression during exercise-heat stress is blunted in T1D.

Novelty We show that, when assessed in young adults with and without T1D during exercise-heat stress, serum irisin production is blunted in T1D.
Life stress and background anxiety are not associated with resting metabolic rate in healthy adults
Authors: Wilson Patrick B. , Wynne Jaison L. , Ehlert Alex M. , Mowfy Zachary
Published: February 2020

This study examined associations between anxiety, stress, and resting metabolic rate (RMR). Thirty women and 23 men had RMR measured at two visits. Participants also had body composition assessed and completed several questionnaires: State–Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety (STICSA), Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI)-3, and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)-14. The state version of the STICSA was completed at both visits, while the other questionnaires were completed at visit one. RMR was expressed in kilocalories per day and relative to lean mass (RMRrelative). Participants were divided into low-, medium-, and high-anxiety groups based on STICSA trait scores, and RMR was compared among groups using one-way ANOVA. Changes between visits were evaluated using paired t tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. RMR did not change from visit one to visit two (1589 to 1586 kcal/day, p = 0.86) even though STICSA state scores slightly declined (Z-statistic = –2.39, p = 0.017). RMRrelative values were 30.3 ± 3.7, 29.0 ± 1.9, and 29.9 ± 3.6 kcal/kg of lean mass among low, medium, and high trait anxiety groups, respectively (F = 0.70, p = 0.50). No RMR variable significantly correlated with PSS-14, ASI-3, or STICSA scores. This study provides evidence that trait anxiety and life stress do not impact RMR. Whether an association between these factors exists in anxiety disorders remains to be evaluated.

Novelty Contrary to previous research, this study found no associations between anxiety and RMR. It is doubtful whether practitioners need to account for healthy subjects’ trait anxiety and stress when analyzing RMR data.
Rhizospheric soil fungal community patterns of Duchesnea indica in response to altitude gradient in Yunnan, southwest China
Authors: Jamil Arslan , Yang Jun-Yu , Su Dai-Fa , Tong Jiang-Yun , Chen Shan-Yan , Luo Zhi-Wei , Shen Xue-Mei , Wei Shi-Jie , Cui Xiao-Long
Published: February 2020

The magnitude of the impact of altitude gradient on microbial community and diversity has been studied in recent decades. Whereas bacteria have been the focus of most studies, fungi have been given relatively less attention. As a vital part of the macro- and microscopic ecosystem, rhizosphere fungi play a key role in organic matter decomposition and relative abundance of plant species and have an impact on plant growth and development. Using Duchesnea indica as the host plant, we examined the rhizosphere soil fungal community patterns across the altitude gradient in 15 sites of Yunnan province by sequencing the fungal ITS2 region with the Illumina MiSeq platform. We determined the fungal community composition and structure. We found that, surprisingly, rhizosphere soil fungal diversity of D. indica increased with altitudinal gradient. There was a slight difference in diversity between samples from high- and medium-altitude sites, with medium-altitude sites having the greater diversity. Furthermore, the rhizosphere soil fungal community composition and structure kept changing along the altitudinal gradient. Taxonomic results showed that the extent of phylum diversity was greatest at high-altitude sites, with Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Zygomycota, and Glomeromycota as the most dominant fungal phyla.
Impact of generalized polytropic equation of state on charged anisotropic polytropes
Authors: Mardan S. A. , Rehman M. , Noureen I. , Jamil R. N.
Published: February 2020

In this paper, generalized polytropic equation of state is used to get new classes of polytropic models from the solution of Einstein-Maxwell field equations for charged anisotropic fluid configuration. The models are developed for different values of polytropic index $$n=1,~\frac{1}{2},~2$$n=1,12,2. Masses and radii of eight different stars have been regained with the help of developed models. The speed of sound technique and graphical analysis of model parameters is used for the viability of developed models. The analysis of models indicates they are well behaved and physically viable.
Spectral measures for G2, II: Finite subgroups
Authors: Evans David E. , Pugh Mathew
Published: February 2020

Joint spectral measures associated to the rank two Lie group [Formula: see text], including the representation graphs for the irreducible representations of [Formula: see text] and its maximal torus, nimrep graphs associated to the [Formula: see text] modular invariants have been studied. In this paper, we study the joint spectral measures for the McKay graphs (or representation graphs) of finite subgroups of [Formula: see text]. Using character theoretic methods we classify all non-conjugate embeddings of each subgroup into the fundamental representation of [Formula: see text] and present their McKay graphs, some of which are new.
Algorithm for Calculating the Initial Sample Size in a Fully Sequential Ranking and Selection Procedure
Authors: Wu Ruijing , Liu Shaoxuan , Shi Zhenyang
Published: February 2020

In some fully sequential ranking and selection procedures, such as the KN procedure and Rinott’s procedure, some initial samples must be taken to estimate the variance. We analyze the impact of the initial sample size (ISS) on the total sample size and propose an algorithm to calculate the ISS in this type of procedure. To better illustrate our approach, we implement this algorithm on the KN procedure and propose the KN-ISS procedure. Comprehensive numerical experiments reveal that this procedure can significantly improve the efficiency compared with the KN procedure and still deliver the desired probability of correct selection.
A Positive Feedback-Based Op-Amp Gain Enhancement Technique for High-Precision Applications
Authors: Nagulapalli Rajasekhar , Hayatleh Khaled , Barker Steve
Published: February 2020

A power-efficient, voltage gain enhancement technique for op-amps has been described. The proposed technique is robust against Process, Voltage and Temperature (PVT) variations. It exploits a positive feedback-based gain enhancement technique without any latch-up issue, as opposed to the previously proposed conductance cancellation techniques. In the proposed technique, four additional transconductance-stages (gm stages) are used to boost the gain of the main gm stage. The additional gm stages do not significantly increase the power dissipation. A prototype was designed in 65[Formula: see text]nm CMOS technology. It results in 81[Formula: see text]dB voltage gain, which is 21[Formula: see text]dB higher than the existing gain-boosting technique. The proposed op-amp works with as low a power supply as 0.8[Formula: see text]V, without compromising the performance, whereas the traditional gain-enhancement techniques start losing gain below a 1.1[Formula: see text]V supply. The circuit draws a total static current of 295[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]A and occupies 5000[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m2 of silicon area.
Knot-theoretic flocks
Authors: Niebrzydowski Maciej , Pilitowska Agata , Zamojska-Dzienio Anna
Published: February 2020

We characterize the para-associative ternary quasi-groups (flocks) applicable to knot theory, and show which of these structures are isomorphic. We enumerate them up to order 64. We note that the operation used in knot-theoretic flocks has its non-associative version in extra loops. We use a group action on the set of flock colorings to improve the cocycle invariant associated with the knot-theoretic flock (co)homology.
Dynamics of collapsing stellar filament and exotic matter
Authors: Manzoor Rubab , Adeel M. , Saeed M.
Published: February 2020

This paper studies the collapse of stellar filaments in the presence of dark matter (DM). We use [Formula: see text] gravity to involve DM in the collapse. We apply Darmois junction conditions (DJCs) on the surface of collapsing boundary [Formula: see text] and obtain the collapse equation. The radial pressure associated with the seen matter is found to be nonzero at [Formula: see text]. We then use Starobinsky model, [Formula: see text], as a candidate of DM to obtain stability criteria (SC) of the collapsing body. It is found that the stability of filamentary structure relates radial pressure of baryonic directly with the gravitational effects of DM. Stability of polytropic family of filaments are studied by applying polytropic equation of state to baryonic contribution. For all polytropic stable filaments, it turns out that the visible matter density is exponentially linked to effects of DM. Finally, we discuss connection between exotic terms and gravitational waves (GW). It is theoretically indicated that the presence of DM can affect the GW propagation.
CORRELATING COMMON CLINICAL POSTURAL STABILITY MEASUREMENTS WITH BALANCE ASSESSMENTS
Authors: SUN TIEN LUNG , LEE CHIA HSUAN , LAI CHUNG LIANG , JIANG BERNARD C.
Published: February 2020

Postural stability assessments are typically used for training and tracking. The training results of stroke patients are investigated in terms of task execution and experimental methods. However, the selection of evaluation and training tools has not been discussed in depth. To explore the postural stability evaluation index, we used a range of widely applied assessment tools in occupational therapy. Methods: We studied the rehabilitation of 15 patients who had suffered chronic strokes for at least two years. The tools include the Timed Up and Go Test, which is used by rehabilitation professionals in postural stability evaluations, the biodex balance evaluation instrument, and a Kinect game developed for virtual reality therapy. Results: We propose an active and a passive assessment model. For training, we recommend combining active and passive assessments for confirmations. For assessments, the evaluation tool should be selected according to the postural stability task (active or passive). In the predictive models, if the different tools are considered simultaneously, static postural stability should be used as the main investigation. We suggest that by first studying the tools used to investigate postural stability assessments, balance assessments in stroke patients can also be improved.
Tuning Optical Properties in Nanocomposites
Authors: Joshi Hira , Annapoorni S.
Published: February 2020

Metal nanostructures and noble metal-based nanostructures, in particular, exhibit plasmonic resonance in the visible region. The resonance absorption can be tuned by varying the size of nanoparticle and the external matrix in which the plasmonic materials are embedded. Mie’s theory has been used to demonstrate the shift in the plasmonic resonance in gold nanoparticles embedded in different dielectric media. Two model systems, viz. Au–ZnO and Au–Al2O3, prepared by sputtering on quartz substrates were used to study the optical absorption. The plasmonic peaks were observed to be red shifted in Au–Al2O3 and Au–ZnO, as is also supported by Mie formalism. The dielectric constant of the external matrix viz., Al2O3 and ZnO, estimated using the experimental and the Mie simulations are 3.05 and 1.83, respectively.
Randomized approximation numbers on Besov classes with mixed smoothness
Authors: Duan Liqin , Ye Peixin
Published: February 2020

We study the Kolmogorov and the linear approximation numbers of the Besov classes [Formula: see text] with mixed smoothness in the norm of [Formula: see text] in the randomized setting. We first establish two discretization theorems. Then based on them, we determine the exact asymptotic orders of the Kolmogorov and the linear approximation numbers for certain values of the parameters [Formula: see text]. Our results show that the linear randomized methods lead to considerably better rates than those of the deterministic ones for [Formula: see text].
Schwinger’s picture of quantum mechanics
Authors: Ciaglia F. M. , Di Cosmo F. , Ibort A. , Marmo G.
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we will present the main features of what can be called Schwinger’s foundational approach to Quantum Mechanics. The basic ingredients of this formulation are the selective measurements, whose algebraic composition rules define a mathematical structure called groupoid, which is associated with any physical system. After the introduction of the basic axioms of a groupoid, the concepts of observables and states, statistical interpretation and evolution are derived. An example is finally introduced to support the theoretical description of this approach.
Structural effects on epimerization of bacteriochlorophyll a and chlorophyll a revealed using 3-acetyl chlorophyll a
Authors: Saga Yoshitaka , Nakagawa Shiori
Published: February 2020

Chlorophyll (Chl) and bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) pigments, which are crucial cyclic tetrapyrroles in photosynthesis, generally have a chiral center in their exo-cyclic five-membered E-ring. Although [Formula: see text]-epimers (primed-type) of (B)Chl pigments are rarely present in photosynthetic organisms, they play key roles in photosynthetic reaction center complexes. The epimerization mechanism of (B)Chl pigments in vivo has not been unraveled. The structural effects on the physicochemical properties of (B)Chl epimerization reactions provide useful information to tackle this question. We analyzed epimerization of three pigments, BChl [Formula: see text], Chl [Formula: see text], and 3-acetyl Chl [Formula: see text], to elucidate the structural factors that are responsible for epimerization reactions. We compared the epimerization kinetics of the three pigments and concluded that the bacteriochlorin skeleton (7,8,17,18-tetrahydroporphyrin) significantly retarded the epimerization kinetics. Thus, BChl [Formula: see text] exhibited slower epimerization kinetics than Chl [Formula: see text] in spite of the presence of the electron-withdrawing 3-acetyl group that accelerates epimerization. In contrast to the large structural effects of (B)Chl molecules on epimerization kinetics, the thermodynamic properties at equilibrium in the epimerization of the three pigments were barely influenced by their molecular structures. This study also demonstrates that a semi-synthetic pigment, 3-acetyl Chl [Formula: see text], is appropriate for comparative analyses of the structural effects of BChl [Formula: see text] and Chl [Formula: see text] on their physicochemical properties.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CAPABILITIES: EXPLORING MEDIATING AND MODERATING LINKS BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL PRODUCT ADAPTATION AND INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURERS’ BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
Authors: BAUER KATHARINA , KRINNER STEPHANIE , HELM ROLAND , RAABE KATHARINA
Published: February 2020

Product development is the crucial marketing capability for successfully and sustainably bringing new or adapted products to the market. Throughout the process, companies face challenges in how to adapt their products to international unknown markets while simultaneously enhancing their business performance. Inconsistent and confusing results on this relationship dominate previous research. We argue that the realisation of the marketing strategy of international product adaptation can only be accomplished by relying on a firm’s product development capability. The mediating link between product adaptation and performance induced by the product development capability moderated by sales integration and information processing was examined and confirmed for industrial goods manufacturers for the first time, which advances marketing capabilities theory in approving that the implementation of marketing mix capabilities into marketing strategy, the integration of the sales function and the processing of market information display a performance augmenting effect. Our results show that firms have to evolve a strong product development capability in order to be able to successfully implement strategic international adaptation decisions.
Interaction between Bax and Bcl-XL proteins confirmed by partial acceptor photobleaching-based FRET imaging
Authors: Yang Fangfang , Du Mengyan , Wang Xiaoping , Chen Tongsheng
Published: February 2020

Exact interaction mechanism between Bax and Bcl-XL, two key Bcl-2 family proteins, is an interesting and controversial issue. Partial acceptor photobleaching-based quantitative fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurement, PbFRET, is a widely used FRET quantification method in living cells. In this report, we implemented pixel-to-pixel PbFRET imaging on a wide-field microscope to map the FRET efficiency ([Formula: see text] images of single living HepG2 cells co-expressing CFP-Bax and YFP-Bcl-XL. The [Formula: see text] value between CFP-Bax and YFP-Bcl-XL was 4.59% in cytosol and 11.31% on mitochondria, conclusively indicating the direct interaction of the two proteins, and the interaction of the two proteins was strong on mitochondria and modest in cytosol.
Plant Identification Using New Architecture Convolutional Neural Networks Combine with Replacing the Red of Color Channel Image by Vein Morphology Leaf
Authors: Huynh Hiep Xuan , Truong Bao Quoc , Nguyen Thanh Kiet Tan , Truong Dinh Quoc
Published: February 2020

The determination of plant species from field observation requires substantial botanical expertise, which puts it beyond the reach of most nature enthusiasts. Traditional plant species identification is almost impossible for the general public and challenging even for professionals who deal with botanical problems daily such as conservationists, farmers, foresters, and landscape architects. Even for botanists themselves, species identification is often a difficult task. This paper proposes a model deep learning with a new architecture Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for leaves classifier based on leaf pre-processing extract vein shape data replaced for the red channel of colors. This replacement improves the accuracy of the model significantly. This model experimented on collector leaves data set Flavia leaf data set and the Swedish leaf data set. The classification results indicate that the proposed CNN model is effective for leaf recognition with the best accuracy greater than 98.22%.
Optimal dynamic futures portfolio in a regime-switching market framework
Authors: Leung Tim , Zhou Yang
Published: February 2020

We study the problem of dynamically trading futures in a regime-switching market. Modeling the underlying asset price as a Markov-modulated diffusion process, we present a utility maximization approach to determine the optimal futures trading strategy. This leads to the analysis of the associated system of Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equations, which are reduced to a system of linear ODEs. We apply our stochastic framework to two models, namely, the Regime-Switching Geometric Brownian Motion (RS-GBM) model and Regime-Switching Exponential Ornstein–Uhlenbeck (RS-XOU) model. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the investor’s optimal futures positions and portfolio value across market regimes.
Weighted average price management of manufacturer sales with determined realization volume by the end of trade period on commodity exchanges
Authors: Kuznetsov Konstantin S.
Published: February 2020

This paper proposed a method to control the weighted average price of manufacturer sales with the initially specified sales by the end of the trading interval on the commodity exchanges. The developed manufacturer sales strategy is proposed as a hedge against price slumps without the use of derivative financial instruments in commodity markets.
Interview with Belinda Barnet
Authors: Atzenbeck Claus
Published: February 2020

Belinda Barnet is Senior Lecturer in Media & Communications at Swinburne University, Melbourne. She is the author of "Memory Machines: the Evolution of Hypertext" (Anthem Press UK, 2013), which can be obtained, e.g., via https://amzn.to/2KjqlYH.

Alongside her research career, Dr Barnet has worked as Service Delivery Manager (Wireless Content Services) for Ericsson Australia. She convenes the Social Media Major at Swinburne (https://bit.lv/312ARJY).

Her current projects include building a speech recognition program to help young children and toddlers with Cochlear Implants learn to speak, and she'd be interested in hearing from anyone working in this field.

She's also investigating Shadow Data.
The 1st ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Computing with Multifaceted Movement Data (MOVE++ 2019)
Authors: van Kreveld Marc , Speckmann Bettina , Stroila Matei , Trajcevski Goce
Published: February 2020

Modern technology allows us to track essentially anything that moves, be it animals, people, vehicles, or hurricanes. As a result, many efficient computational methods have been developed to analyze movement data, including methods for similarity analysis, clustering, segmentation, classification, and pattern detection. However, movement rarely occurs in isolation and to truly understand movement data it is of paramount importance to understand the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence movement, such as or health conditions or motivation (intrinsic) or the (natural) environment, weather, and other surrounding entities (extrinsic). Often the data that describes these factors is available together with the tracked object data for analysis, but comparatively few computational techniques fully utilize the potential of such multifaceted data. This workshop brought together researchers who are interested in developing computational techniques to analyze movement data in conjunction with other data sources that capture (some of) the factors which influence movement.
GeoSim 2019 workshop report: The 2nd ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Geospatial Simulation
Authors: Kim Joon-Seok , Kavak Hamdi , Pfoser Dieter , Crooks Andrew , Wenk Carola , Wise Sarah
Published: February 2020

Space has long been acknowledged by researchers as a fundamental constraint which shapes our world. As technological changes have transformed the very concept of distance, the relative location and connectivity of geospatial phenomena have remained stubbornly significant in how systems function. At the same time, however, technology has allowed us to begin to bring tools like simulation to bear on our understanding of how such systems work. While previous generations of scientists and practitioners were unable to gather spatial data or to incorporate it into models at any meaningful scale, new methodologies and data sources are becoming increasingly available to researchers, developers, users, and practitioners. This flowering of different approaches is occurring simultaneously across many fields, and at every point in the research process.
Inference and analysis of gene regulatory networks using data mining techniques
Authors: Ahmed Syed Sazzad , Roy Swarup
Published: February 2020

Causality draws the relationship between the cause and the effect among a pair of items. Causality inference in Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) is a challenging task due to the limits of appropriate data and large dataset size of real networks. Such an inference is very important because it might give the blueprint of how a complex organism operates which might further reveal the probable cause of some of the terminal diseases. A number of techniques have been proposed and applied to infer causal relationships in various domains. However, they are not specific to regulatory network inference.

In our work, we made an empirical study on a few selective methods in inferring causal GRNs. To assess the candidate methods in terms of their quality of inference we used time-series expression data from the DREAM challenges. Our findings revealed that among the selected causality finding techniques, Causation Entropy gives the best result, however, it is computationally expensive. We used the second-best approach, Transfer Entropy, to infer casual GRN of breast cancer datasets. The topological analysis of the network revealed that top out-degree genes such as SLC39A5 which are considered central genes, plays an important role in cancer progression.

The main intention behind this research work was to develop an effective inference method for causal Gene Regulatory Network which is computationally less expensive and also considers the effects of time-delay during regulation of one gene by the other. We proposed a novel time delayed inferring method for GRNs using association rule mining. We tried to infer the regulatory sign of the edges i.e. whether influencing positively or negatively. Comparative results highlight that our proposed technique produced better inference results in comparison to several of the existing techniques.

We applied the proposed method to perform post inference analysis on malignant cancer network and benign network. Various networks parameters like the degree distribution, average path length, clustering coefficient, network re-wiring structure analysis, network topological variation analysis, and connectivity variation analysis are performed to identify the differentially expressed genes between the two networks. To avoid inference biasness and to obtain a consensus based conclusion we made a comparative analysis between our proposed method and transfer entropy based method and also computed the average score. Such an analysis of the network has revealed four genes, namely, STON
2
, UMODL
1
, STK
11
, and COBL which are already under investigation for its role in various types of cancer as seen from various researches.
Efficacy and Safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Ji Kun , Ma Jianling , Wang Liangmin , Li Niuniu , Dong Shangjuan , Shi Liqing
Published: February 2020

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on lung function and quality of life of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients by meta‐analysis. Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to TCM and IPF were searched on PubMed, EMBASE Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Chin VIP Information (VIP), and Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) until December 2018. Standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% CI were calculated for the measurements related to lung function (FEV1/FVC, FVC%, FEV1%, TLC%, DLCO% or DLCO, and VC%) and other parameters (PO2, 6MWD, and SGRQ) when comparing TCM treatment to the control group. Relative risk (RR) and 95% CI of adverse events (AEs) were calculated to assess the safety of TCM. Results. A total of 40 RCTs comparing TCM to western medicine (WM) and involving 3194 IPF patients were eligible for the meta‐analysis. The pooled results showed that TCM treatment improved significantly PO2 (SMD = 0.80, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.06, p < 0.001), FEV1% (SMD = 0.57, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.71, p < 0.001), DLCO% (SMD = 0.38, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.48, p < 0.001), 6MWD (SMD = 0.70, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.84, p < 0.001) and other measurements and reduced SGRQ scores (SMD = −0.51, 95% CI −0.70 to −0.22, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis of different study durations (3 months, ≥ 6 months) and comparison models (TCM vs. WM, TCM + WM vs. WM or TCM vs. placebo) showed similar results. No significant difference of risk of AEs was observed between both groups (RR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.27–1.60, p = 0.352). There was no obvious publication bias, and the pooled results were stable according to sensitivity analysis. Conclusion. To the best of our knowledge, the present study had the largest sample size. Our results indicated that TCM treatment may help provide benefit to the lung function, exercise capacity, and quality of life of IPF patients, alone or combined with WM, when compared to WM. More rigorous RCTs were needed in the future.
Dietary Supplemental Glutamine Enhances the Percentage of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Mice with High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Subjected to Hind Limb Ischemia
Authors: Ko Chi-Hsuan , Yeh Sung-Ling , Yeh Chiu-Li
Published: February 2020

This study investigated whether glutamine (GLN) pretreatment can enhance circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and attenuate inflammatory reaction in high-fat diet-induced obese mice with limb ischemia. Mice were assigned to a normal control (NC), high-fat control (HC), limb ischemia (HI), and GLN limb ischemia (HG) groups. The NC group provided chow diet and treated as a negative control. Mice in the HC and HI groups were fed a high-fat diet which 60% energy provided by fat for 8 weeks. Mice in the HG group were fed the same diet for 4 weeks and then transferred to a high-fat diet with 25% of total protein nitrogen provided as GLN to replace part of the casein for the subsequent 4 weeks. After feeding 8 weeks, mice in the HC group were sham-operated, while the HI and HG groups underwent an operation to induce limb ischemia. All mice except the NC group were euthanized on either day 1 or 7 after the operation. The results showed that the 8 weeks’ high-fat diet feeding resulted in obesity. The HG group had higher circulating EPCs on day 1 while muscle vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 gene expressions were higher on day 7 postischemia than those of the HI group. The superoxide dismutase activity and reduced glutathione content in affected muscles were higher, whereas mRNA expressions of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-αwere lower in the HG than those in the HI group. These findings suggest that obese mice pretreated with GLN-supplemented high-fat diet increased circulating EPC percentage, enhanced the antioxidant capacity, and attenuated inflammatory reactions in response to limb ischemia.
Clinical and Survival Impact of Sex-Determining Region Y-Box 2 in Colorectal Cancer: An Integrated Analysis of the Immunohistochemical Study and Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Song Kun , Hao Jingduo , Ge Zuyin , Chen Pushi
Published: February 2020

Transcription factor sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2) involves in the maintenance of cancer stem cells. However, the role of SOX2 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of SOX2 on CRC. Studies were searched using electronic databases. The combined odds ratios (ORs) or hazard ratios (HRs: multivariate Cox survival analysis) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GEO datasets were further applied to validate the survival effect. The functional analysis of SOX2 was investigated. In this work, 13 studies including 2337 patients were identified, and validation data were enrolled from TCGA and GEO datasets. SOX2 expression was not significantly related to age, gender, microsatellite instability (MSI) status, clinical stage, histological grade, tumor size, pT-stage, lymph node metastasis, distal metastasis, and cancer-specific survival (CSS) but was correlated with worse overall survival (OS: n = 536 patients) (P<0.05). Furthermore, TCGA data demonstrated similar results, with no significant correlation between SOX2 and pathological characteristics. Further validation data (OS: n = 1408 and disease-free survival (DFS): n = 1367) showed that SOX2 expression was correlated with worse OS (HR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.11–1.65, P=0.004) and DFS (HR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.04–1.62, P=0.02). The functional analyses showed that SOX2 involved in cell-cell junction, focal adhesion, extracellular matrix- (ECM-) receptor interaction, and MAP kinase activity. Our findings suggest that SOX2 expression may be correlated with the worse prognosis of CRC.
A Simple Method for the Design and Development of Flavivirus NS1 Recombinant Proteins Using an In Silico Approach
Authors: Park Chulmin , Kim Won-Bok , Cho Sung-Yeon , Oh Eun-Jee , Lee Hyeyoung , Kang Kyungjoon , Lee Yoonsuk , Lee Dong-Gun
Published: February 2020

Even in countries that are currently not facing a flavivirus epidemic, the spread of mosquito‐borne flaviviruses presents an increasing public threat, owing to climate change, international travel, and other factors. Many of these countries lack the resources (viral strains, clinical specimens, etc.) needed for the research that could help cope with the threat imposed by flaviviruses, and therefore, an alternative approach is needed. Using an in silico approach to global databases, we aimed to design and develop flavivirus NS1 recombinant proteins with due consideration towards antigenic variation. NS1 genes analyzed in this study included a total of 6,823 sequences, from Dengue virus (DENV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), West Nile virus (WNV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and Yellow fever virus (YKV). We extracted and analyzed 316 DENV NS1 sequence types (STs), 59 JEV STs, 75 WNV STs, 30 YFV STs, and 43 ZIKV STs using a simple algorithm based on phylogenetic analysis. STs were reclassified according to the variation of the major epitope by MHC II binding. 78 DENV epitope type (EpT), 29 JEV EpTs, 29 WNV EpTs, 12 YFV EpTs, and 5 ZIKV EpTs were extracted according to their major epitopes. Also, frequency results showed that there were dominant EpTs in all flavivirus. Fifteen STs were selected and purified for the expression of recombinant antigen in Escherichia coli by sodium dodecyl sulfate extraction. Our study details a novel in silico approach for the development of flavivirus diagnostics, including a simple way to screen the important peptide regions.
Stable Colonization of Orally Administered Lactobacillus casei SY13 Alters the Gut Microbiota
Authors: Yue Yuanchun , Xu Xiaoxi , Yang Baoyu , Lu Jing , Zhang Shuwen , Liu Liu , Nassar Khaled , Zhang Cai , Zhang Min , Pang Xiaoyang , Lv Jiaping
Published: February 2020

The gut microbiota plays an important role in intestinal health. Probiotics such as Lactobacillus are known to regulate gut microbes and prevent diseases. However, most of them are unable to colonize their stability in hosts’ intestinal tracts. In this study, we investigated the ability of Lactobacillus casei SY13 (SY13) to colonize the intestinal tract of BALB/c mice, after its oral administration for a short‐term (once for a day) and long‐term (once daily for 27 days) duration. Furthermore, we also evaluated the influence of its administration on the gut microbial structure and diversity in mice. Male BALB/c mice were gavaged with 108 colony‐forming units (CFU) of SY13, and TaqMan‐MGB probe and Illumina MiSeq sequencing were performed to assess the colonization ability and bacterial community structure in the cecum contents. The results showed that long‐term treatment with SY13 enhanced its ability to form a colony in the intestine tract in contrast to the short‐term treatment group, whose colony was retained for only 3 days. Oral administration of SY13 also significantly enhanced the gut microbial diversity. Short‐term treatment with SY13 (SSY13) elevated Firmicutes and diminished Bacteroidetes phyla compared with long‐term treatment (LSY13) and controls. The findings laid the foundation for the study of probiotic colonization ability and improvement of microbiota for the prevention of gut diseases.