Nonparametric predictive inference for system failure time based on bounds for the signature

System signatures provide a powerful framework for reliability assessment for systems consisting of exchangeable components. The use of signatures in nonparametric predictive inference has been presented and leads to lower and upper survival functions for the system failure time, given failure times of tested components. However, deriving the system signature is computationally complex. This article presents how limited information about the signature can be used to derive bounds on such lower and upper survival functions and related inferences. If such bounds are sufficiently decisive they also indicate that more detailed computation of the system signature is not required

Smoothed Bootstrap Methods for Hypothesis Testing

This paper demonstrates the application of smoothed bootstrap methods and Efron’s methods for hypothesis testing on real-valued data, right-censored data and bivariate data. The tests include quartile hypothesis tests, two sample medians and Pearson and Kendall correlation tests. Simulation studies indicate that the smoothed bootstrap methods outperform Efron’s methods in most scenarios, particularly for small datasets. The smoothed bootstrap methods provide smaller discrepancies between the actual and nominal error rates, which makes them more reliable for testing hypotheses

Protein Networks Reveal Detection Bias and Species Consistency When Analysed by Information-Theoretic Methods

We apply our recently developed information-theoretic measures for the characterisation and comparison of protein–protein interaction networks. These measures are used to quantify topological network features via macroscopic statistical properties. Network differences are assessed based on these macroscopic properties as opposed to microscopic overlap, homology information or motif occurrences. We present the results of a large–scale analysis of protein–protein interaction networks. Precise null models are used in our analyses, allowing for reliable interpretation of the results. By quantifying the methodological biases of the experimental data, we can define an information threshold above which networks may be deemed to comprise consistent macroscopic topological properties, despite their small microscopic overlaps. Based on this rationale, data from yeast–two–hybrid methods are sufficiently consistent to allow for intra–species comparisons (between different experiments) and inter–species comparisons, while data from affinity–purification mass–spectrometry methods show large differences even within intra–species comparisons

Genome-Wide Detection of Gene Extinction in Early Mammalian Evolution

Detecting gene losses is a novel aspect of evolutionary genomics that has been made feasible by whole-genome sequencing. However, research to date has concentrated on elucidating evolutionary patterns of genomic components shared between species, rather than identifying disparities between genomes. In this study, we searched for gene losses in the lineage leading to eutherian mammals. First, as a pilot analysis, we selected five gene families (Wnt, Fgf, Tbx, TGFβ, and Frizzled) for molecular phylogenetic analyses, and identified mammalian lineage-specific losses of Wnt11b, Tbx6L/VegT/tbx16, Nodal-related, ADMP1, ADMP2, Sizzled, and Crescent. Second, automated genome-wide phylogenetic screening was implemented based on this pilot analysis. As a result, we detected 147 chicken genes without eutherian orthologs, which resulted from 141 gene loss events. Our inventory contained a group of regulatory genes governing early embryonic axis formation, such as Noggins, and multiple members of the opsin and prolactin-releasing hormone receptor (“PRLHR”) gene families. Our findings highlight the potential of genome-wide gene phylogeny (“phylome”) analysis in detecting possible rearrangement of gene networks and the importance of identifying losses of ancestral genomic components in analyzing the molecular basis underlying phenotypic evolution

Discovery pipeline for epigenetically deregulated miRNAs in cancer: integration of primary miRNA transcription

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cancer is commonly associated with widespread disruption of DNA methylation, chromatin modification and miRNA expression. In this study, we established a robust discovery pipeline to identify epigenetically deregulated miRNAs in cancer.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using an integrative approach that combines primary transcription, genome-wide DNA methylation and H3K9Ac marks with microRNA (miRNA) expression, we identified miRNA genes that were epigenetically modified in cancer. We find miR-205, miR-21, and miR-196b to be epigenetically repressed, and miR-615 epigenetically activated in prostate cancer cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We show that detecting changes in primary miRNA transcription levels is a valuable method for detection of local epigenetic modifications that are associated with changes in mature miRNA expression.</p

Skin Regeneration in Adult Axolotls: A Blueprint for Scar-Free Healing in Vertebrates

While considerable progress has been made towards understanding the complex processes and pathways that regulate human wound healing, regenerative medicine has been unable to develop therapies that coax the natural wound environment to heal scar-free. The inability to induce perfect skin regeneration stems partly from our limited understanding of how scar-free healing occurs in a natural setting. Here we have investigated the wound repair process in adult axolotls and demonstrate that they are capable of perfectly repairing full thickness excisional wounds made on the flank. In the context of mammalian wound repair, our findings reveal a substantial reduction in hemostasis, reduced neutrophil infiltration and a relatively long delay in production of new extracellular matrix (ECM) during scar-free healing. Additionally, we test the hypothesis that metamorphosis leads to scarring and instead show that terrestrial axolotls also heal scar-free, albeit at a slower rate. Analysis of newly forming dermal ECM suggests that low levels of fibronectin and high levels of tenascin-C promote regeneration in lieu of scarring. Lastly, a genetic analysis during wound healing comparing epidermis between aquatic and terrestrial axolotls suggests that matrix metalloproteinases may regulate the fibrotic response. Our findings outline a blueprint to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms coordinating scar-free healing that will be useful towards elucidating new regenerative therapies targeting fibrosis and wound repair

Epigenetic reprogramming at estrogen-receptor binding sites alters 3D chromatin landscape in endocrine-resistant breast cancer

Endocrine therapy resistance frequently develops in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we show that 3-dimensional (3D) chromatin interactions both within and between topologically associating domains (TADs) frequently change in ER+ endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells and that the differential interactions are enriched for resistance-associated genetic variants at CTCF-bound anchors. Ectopic chromatin interactions are preferentially enriched at active enhancers and promoters and ER binding sites, and are associated with altered expression of ER-regulated genes, consistent with dynamic remodelling of ER pathways accompanying the development of endocrine resistance. We observe that loss of 3D chromatin interactions often occurs coincidently with hypermethylation and loss of ER binding. Alterations in active A and inactive B chromosomal compartments are also associated with decreased ER binding and atypical interactions and gene expression. Together, our results suggest that 3D epigenome remodelling is a key mechanism underlying endocrine resistance in ER+ breast cancer