The dynamic predictive power of company comparative networks for stock sector performance

As economic integration and business connections increase, companies actively interact with each other in the market in cooperative or competitive relationships. To understand the market network structure with company relationships and to investigate the impacts of market network structure on stock sector performance, we propose the construct of a company comparative network based on public media data and sector interaction metrics based on the company network. All the market network structure metrics are integrated into a vector autoregression model with stock sector return and risk. Several findings demonstrate the dynamic relationships that exist between sector interactions and sector performance. First, sector interaction metrics constructed based on company networks are significant leading indicators of sector performance. Interestingly, the interactions between sectors have greater predictive power than those within sectors. Second, compared with the company closeness network, the company comparative network, which labels the cooperative or competitive relationships between companies, is a better construct to understand and predict sector interactions and performance. Third, competitive company interactions between sectors impact sector performance in a slower manner than cooperative company interactions. The findings enrich financial studies regarding asset pricing by providing additional explanations of company/sector interactions and insights into company management using industry-level strategies

High glucose upregulates connective tissue growth factor expression in human vascular smooth muscle cells

BACKGROUND: Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a potent profibrotic factor, which is implicated in fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis and extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis. It is a downstream mediator of some of the effects of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and is potentially induced by hyperglycemia in human renal mesangial cells. However, whether high glucose could induce the CTGF expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) remains unknown. Therefore, this study was designed to test whether high glucose could regulate CTGF expression in human VSMC. The effect of modulating CTGF expression on VSMC proliferation and migration was further investigated. RESULTS: Expression of CTGF mRNA was up-regulated as early as 6 hours in cultured human VSMCs after exposed to high glucose condition, followed by ECM components (collagen type I and fibronectin) accumulation. The upregulation of CTGF mRNA appears to be TGFβ-dependent since anti-TGFβ antibody blocks the effect of high glucose on CTGF gene expression. A small interference RNA (siRNA) targeting CTGF mRNA (CTGF-siRNA) effectively suppressed CTGF up-regulation stimulated by high glucose up to 79% inhibition. As a consequence of decreased expression of CTGF gene, the deposition of ECM proteins in the VSMC was also declined. Moreover, CTGF-siRNA expressing vector partially inhibited the high glucose-induced VSMC proliferation and migration. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that in the development of macrovascular complications in diabetes, CTGF might be an important factor involved in the patho-physiological responses to high glucose in human VSMCs. In addition, the modulatory effects of CTGF-siRNA during this process suggest that specific targeting CTGF by RNA interference could be useful in preventing intimal hyperplasia in diabetic macrovascular complications

Fast Hankel Transforms Algorithm Based on Kernel Function Interpolation with Exponential Functions

The Pravin method for Hankel transforms is based on the decomposition of kernel function with exponential function. The defect of such method is the difficulty in its parameters determination and lack of adaptability to kernel function especially using monotonically decreasing functions to approximate the convex ones. This thesis proposed an improved scheme by adding new base function in interpolation procedure. The improved method maintains the merit of Pravin method which can convert the Hankel integral to algebraic calculation. The simulation results reveal that the improved method has high precision, high efficiency, and good adaptability to kernel function. It can be applied to zero-order and first-order Hankel transforms

Concentration Polarization of High-Density Lipoprotein and Its Relation with Shear Stress in an In Vitro Model

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration polarization of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) at the surface of the carotid artery under conditions of steady flow and to establish its relationship with shear stress using an in vitro vascular simulation model of carotid bifurcation. Shear stress, HDL concentration at the surface, and the ratio of HDL concentration at the surface to concentration in bulk flow were measured at different locations within the model under high-speed (1.451 m/s) and low-speed (0.559 m/s) flow. HDL showed concentration polarization at the surface of the carotid artery model, particularly in the internal carotid artery sinus. With decreasing flow velocity, the shear stress at the surface also decreased, and HDL concentration polarization increased. The concentration polarization of HDL was negatively and strongly correlated with shear stress at both low- (r = −0.872, P < .001) and high-speed flow (r = −0.592, P = .0018)

Relationship between Concentration Difference of Different Density Lipoproteins and Shear Stress in Atherosclerosis

Previous research has observed concentration polarization in LDL and HDL in the arterial system. However, there is no report that links this concentration polarization to the development of vascular atherosclerosis (AS). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between concentration difference of LDL and HDL and shear stress using a carotid bifurcation vascular model. PTFE was employed to create the carotid bifurcation model. Endothelial cells were coated on the inner wall of the graft. In a recirculation system, HDL and LDL concentration were measured under two different ICA flow velocities at 5 different locations within our model. We report the following: (1) LDL and HDL concentration difference was observed in both high flow and low flow environments; (2) the degree of LDL and HDL concentration polarization varied depending of high flow and low flow environment; (3) absolute values of concentration difference between LDL and HDL at the inner wall surface decreased with the increase in shear stress when shear stress was more than 1.5 Pa. This variation trend would be more pronounced if shear stress were less than 0.5 Pa. Our study suggests that under the action of shear stress, concentration differences of LDL or HDL create a disturbance in the balance of atherogenic factors and anti-As factors, resulting in the occurrence of AS

Sample Data Synchronization and Harmonic Analysis Algorithm Based on Radial Basis Function Interpolation

The spectral leakage has a harmful effect on the accuracy of harmonic analysis for asynchronous sampling. This paper proposed a time quasi-synchronous sampling algorithm which is based on radial basis function (RBF) interpolation. Firstly, a fundamental period is evaluated by a zero-crossing technique with fourth-order Newton’s interpolation, and then, the sampling sequence is reproduced by the RBF interpolation. Finally, the harmonic parameters can be calculated by FFT on the synchronization of sampling data. Simulation results showed that the proposed algorithm has high accuracy in measuring distorted and noisy signals. Compared to the local approximation schemes as linear, quadric, and fourth-order Newton interpolations, the RBF is a global approximation method which can acquire more accurate results while the time-consuming is about the same as Newton’s

Mutation in SUMO E3 ligase, SIZ1, Disrupts the Mature Female Gametophyte in Arabidopsis

Female gametophyte is the multicellular haploid structure that can produce embryo and endosperm after fertilization, which has become an attractive model system for investigating molecular mechanisms in nuclei migration, cell specification, cell-to-cell communication and many other processes. Previous reports found that the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) E3 ligase, SIZ1, participated in many processes depending on particular target substrates and suppression of salicylic acid (SA) accumulation. Here, we report that SIZ1 mediates the reproductive process. SIZ1 showed enhanced expression in female organs, but was not detected in the anther or pollen. A defect in the siz1-2 maternal source resulted in reduced seed-set regardless of high SA concentration within the plant. Moreover, aniline blue staining and scanning electron microscopy revealed that funicular and micropylar pollen tube guidance was arrested in siz1-2 plants. Some of the embryo sacs of ovules in siz1-2 were also disrupted quickly after stage FG7. There was no significant affects of the siz1-2 mutation on expression of genes involved in female gametophyte development- or pollen tube guidance in ovaries. Together, our results suggest that SIZ1 sustains the stability and normal function of the mature female gametophyte which is necessary for pollen tube guidance