FGC: an efficient constraint-based frequent set miner

Despite advances in algorithmic design, association rule mining remains problematic from a performance viewpoint when the size of the underlying transaction database is large. The well-known a priori approach, while reducing the computational effort involved still suffers from the problem of scalability due to its reliance on generating candidate itemsets. In this paper we present a novel approach that combines the power of preprocessing with the application of user-defined constraints to prune the itemset space prior to building a compact FP-tree. Experimentation shows that that our algorithm significantly outperforms the current state of the art algorithm, FP-bonsai

C4b-binding protein (C4BP) inhibits development of experimental arthritis in mice.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the human complement inhibitor C4b-binding protein (C4BP) for treatment of arthritis. METHODS: We have used two mouse models of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to assess the therapeutic effect of C4BP on different phases of arthritis, the collagen antibody induced arthritis (CAIA), an acute antibody induced disease and the collagen induced arthritis (CIA), which carries the full complexity of arthritis. RESULTS: Purified human C4BP injected intraperitoneally alleviated CAIA significantly in a manner similar to cobra venom factor that depletes complement due to massive activation. Furthermore, C4BP was injected before and after the disease development into CIA mice. In the former case, the disease onset was delayed and in the latter, the severity of the disease was reduced in animals treated with C4BP. However, C4BP did not affect the anti-CII antibody synthesis. C4BP present in mouse sera decreased activity of the classical but not the alternative pathway of the complement system when these were assessed in a fluid phase. However, C4BP was efficiently inhibiting the alternative pathway when present on the activating surface. Taken together, the disease ameliorating effect of C4BP appears to be related to inhibition of both pathways of complement. CONCLUSIONS: Although human C4BP was cleared relatively fast from the circulation and was only moderately affecting complement activity, its effect on the disease severity was substantial, suggesting that minor alterations in complement activity can have significant therapeutic value in RA

Chronic development of collagen-induced arthritis is associated with arthritogenic antibodies against specific epitopes on type II collagen

Antibodies against type II collagen (CII) are important in the development of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and possibly also in rheumatoid arthritis. We have determined the fine specificity and arthritogenicity of the antibody response to CII in chronic relapsing variants of CIA. Immunization with rat CII in B10.Q or B10.Q(BALB/c×B10.Q)F(2 )mice induces a chronic relapsing CIA. The antibody response to CII was determined by using triple-helical peptides of the major B cell epitopes. Each individual mouse had a unique epitope-specific response and this epitope predominance shifted distinctly during the course of the disease. In the B10.Q mice the antibodies specific for C1 and U1, and in the B10.Q(BALB/c×B10.Q)F(2 )mice the antibodies specific for C1, U1 and J1, correlated with the development of chronic arthritis. Injection of monoclonal antibodies against these epitopes induced relapses in chronic arthritic mice. The development of chronic relapsing arthritis, initially induced by CII immunization, is associated with an arthritogenic antibody response to certain CII epitopes

Protein Expression, Characterization and Activity Comparisons of Wild Type and Mutant DUSP5 Proteins

Background The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathway is critical for cellular signaling, and proteins such as phosphatases that regulate this pathway are important for normal tissue development. Based on our previous work on dual specificity phosphatase-5 (DUSP5), and its role in embryonic vascular development and disease, we hypothesized that mutations in DUSP5 will affect its function. Results In this study, we tested this hypothesis by generating full-length glutathione-S-transferase-tagged DUSP5 and serine 147 proline mutant (S147P) proteins from bacteria. Light scattering analysis, circular dichroism, enzymatic assays and molecular modeling approaches have been performed to extensively characterize the protein form and function. We demonstrate that both proteins are active and, interestingly, the S147P protein is hypoactive as compared to the DUSP5 WT protein in two distinct biochemical substrate assays. Furthermore, due to the novel positioning of the S147P mutation, we utilize computational modeling to reconstruct full-length DUSP5 and S147P to predict a possible mechanism for the reduced activity of S147P. Conclusion Taken together, this is the first evidence of the generation and characterization of an active, full-length, mutant DUSP5 protein which will facilitate future structure-function and drug development-based studies

Thermal Decomposition of Ba(II) & Sr(II) Bis(oxalato)-oxovanadates(IV)

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Environmental enrichment improved cognitive deficits more in peri-adolescent than in adult rats after postnatal monosodium glutamate treatment

Exposure to enriched environment (EE) is known to promote sensory, cognitive, and motor stimulation with intensified levels of novelty and complexity. In this study, we investigated the positive regulatory effect of short-term exposure to EE on establishing functional recovery in monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obese rats. Unless treated, MSG rats exhibited peripheral insulin resistance, cognitive deficits, and a reduction in the total hippocampal volume with decreased neuron count in the DG, CA3, and CA1 subfields. These MSG rats were exposed to short-term EE for 15 days for a period of 6 h/day, beginning either at 45 or at 75 days of age. EE exposure has improved insulin sensitivity, yielded a significant increase in total hippocampal volume along with increase in neuron number in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus in both age groups. However, as assessed by radial arm maze task, which relies upon the positive reinforcement to test spatial memory, and the Barnes maze task, which utilizes an aversive learning strategy, a complete recovery of cognitive function could be achieved in 2-month-old rats only and not among 3-month-old rats, thus highlighting the importance of critical window period for EE interventions in restoring the memory functions. These results suggest the therapeutic potential of EE paradigm in prevention of cognitive disorders

A Circular Economy Framework based on Organic Wastes Upcycling for Biodiesel Production from Hermetia illucens

The present waste management practices have adverse environmental impacts at the same time costly. Approximately, 80 % of the Malaysian municipal wastes including organic wastes are usual disposed into landfills. Hence, transformation organic wastes not only providing economic and environmental benefits but has given waste a value. This study focused on synthesis of biodiesel from H. illucens pre-pupae fed with fruit waste and food waste. The objective was to evaluate interactions between the variables including catalyst loading, reaction time versus fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) yield (wt %), temperature and methanol to sample mass ratio. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to investigate the bioconversion optimization process. Optimal biodiesel yield based on fruit waste achieved was 96.15 % at 51ºC; 8.3:1 methanol: mass ratio; 253 min and 15.1 % catalyst. Furthermore, the optimal yield obtained from the second set of optimization using lipids of pre-pupae derived from food waste was achieved at 94.63 %.  The optimum conditions for reaction temperature was 71°C, with methanol to mass ratio of 6.8:1, at reaction time of 254 min and catalyst loading of 7.0 v/v%. The properties of FAME produced were in accordance with EN 14214 and ASTM 6751 biodiesel standards

Soup to tree: the phylogeny of beetles inferred by mitochondrial metagenomics of a Bornean rainforest sample

In spite of the growth of molecular ecology, systematics and next-generation sequencing, the discovery and analysis of diversity is not currently integrated with building the tree-of-life. Tropical arthropod ecologists are well placed to accelerate this process if all specimens obtained via masstrapping, many of which will be new species, could be incorporated routinely in phylogeny reconstruction. Here we test a shotgun sequencing approach, whereby mitochondrial genomes are assembled from complex ecological mixtures via mitochondrial metagenomics, and demonstrate how the approach overcomes many of the taxonomic impediments to the study of biodiversity. DNA from ~500 beetle specimens, originating from a single rainforest canopy fogging sample from Borneo, was pooled and shotgun sequenced, followed by de novo assembly of complete and partial mitogenomes for 175 species. The phylogenetic tree obtained from this local sample was highly similar to that from existing mitogenomes selected for global coverage of major lineages of Coleoptera. When all sequences were combined, only minor topological changes are induced against this reference set, indicating an increasingly stable estimate of coleopteran phylogeny, whilst the ecological sample expands the tip-level representation of several lineages. Robust trees generated from ecological samples now enable an evolutionary framework for ecology. Meanwhile, the inclusion of uncharacterized samples in the tree-of-life rapidly expands taxon and biogeographic representation of lineages without morphological identification. Mitogenomes from shotgun sequencing of unsorted environmental samples and their associated metadata, placed robustly into the phylogenetic tree, constitute novel DNA ‘superbarcodes’ for testing hypotheses regarding global patterns of diversity

Extending indoor open street mapping environments to navigable 3D citygml building models: Emergency response assessment

© Authors 2018. Disaster scenarios in high-rise buildings such as the Address Downtown, Dubai or Grenfell Tower, London have showed ones again the importance of data information availability for emergency management in buildings. 3D visualization of indoor routing services using extensive and high quality geographic data sources is essential for spatial analysis in emergency responses. In order to facilitate emergency response simulations, a combination of geometrical, graphical and semantic information is essential. Successful and efficient emergency evacuation responses is facilitated by the availability of both digital static and dynamic information of the incident site. However, interruptions may be encountered with the availability of dynamic data, where static data developed using indoor navigation ontologies serve as an alternative to inform the first responders. Thus, it is necessary to obtain a firm, interactive and quasi-realistic virtual simulation of the building environments. Voxelized CityGML models imported into voxel based hazard simulation systems fits well into the simulation algorithm requirements (Groger et al., 2008; Moreno et.al, 2010). Therefore, the research investigates an alternative platform for generating CityGML spatial analysis models. LoD4 models are developed using Computer Aided Design (Auto CAD) 2D files, crowdsourced geo-data (OpenStreetMap) and open source tools. A combination of software packages is utilized for 3D reconstruction of building interiors. This process is achieved through a Java application developed by researchers at Heidelberg University. Conclusions drawn from the research validate the 3D CityGML model generation process as an international standard to effectively enhance the outcome of emergency evacuation simulations of high rise buildings