Haplotype sharing correlation of alcohol dependence on chromosomes 1–6 in 93 nuclear families

Haplotype data contain signatures of ancestral alleles and increased information for mapping genes associated with complex traits. The motivation of this paper is to test the feasibility of a recently developed haplotype reconstruction algorithm and to perform haplotype-sharing correlation (HSC) analysis in nuclear families using data provided by the Genetic Analysis Workshop 14 and the Collaborative Study of the Genetics of Alcoholism. As an exemplary analysis, haplotype data on chromosomes 1–6 were reconstructed from genotype data in 93 nuclear families by minimizing both the recombinants in within-family haplotypes and the tree distance in between-family haplotypes. HSC analysis was performed using the best set of reconstructed haplotypes, and chromosome-wide significance was evaluated using a permutation procedure. Three markers were found to have significant haplotype associations with DSM-IV alcohol dependence that exceeded the 0.05 level of chromosome-wide significance: marker rs895941 at 36.7 cM on chromosome 3 (p = 0.03), marker rs1631833 at 109.1 cM on chromosome 4 (p = 0.008), and marker rs953887 at 74.2 cM on chromosome 6 (p = 0.02). These results indicated the usefulness of HSC analysis and provided further evidence on chromosome regions associated with alcohol dependence

Conjoining Speeds up Information Diffusion in Overlaying Social-Physical Networks

We study the diffusion of information in an overlaying social-physical network. Specifically, we consider the following set-up: There is a physical information network where information spreads amongst people through conventional communication media (e.g., face-to-face communication, phone calls), and conjoint to this physical network, there are online social networks where information spreads via web sites such as Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed, YouTube, etc. We quantify the size and the critical threshold of information epidemics in this conjoint social-physical network by assuming that information diffuses according to the SIR epidemic model. One interesting finding is that even if there is no percolation in the individual networks, percolation (i.e., information epidemics) can take place in the conjoint social-physical network. We also show, both analytically and experimentally, that the fraction of individuals who receive an item of information (started from an arbitrary node) is significantly larger in the conjoint social-physical network case, as compared to the case where the networks are disjoint. These findings reveal that conjoining the physical network with online social networks can have a dramatic impact on the speed and scale of information diffusion.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Optimal Allocation of Interconnecting Links in Cyber-Physical Systems: Interdependence, Cascading Failures and Robustness

We consider a cyber-physical system consisting of two interacting networks, i.e., a cyber-network overlaying a physical-network. It is envisioned that these systems are more vulnerable to attacks since node failures in one network may result in (due to the interdependence) failures in the other network, causing a cascade of failures that would potentially lead to the collapse of the entire infrastructure. The robustness of interdependent systems against this sort of catastrophic failure hinges heavily on the allocation of the (interconnecting) links that connect nodes in one network to nodes in the other network. In this paper, we characterize the optimum inter-link allocation strategy against random attacks in the case where the topology of each individual network is unknown. In particular, we analyze the "regular" allocation strategy that allots exactly the same number of bi-directional inter-network links to all nodes in the system. We show, both analytically and experimentally, that this strategy yields better performance (from a network resilience perspective) compared to all possible strategies, including strategies using random allocation, unidirectional inter-links, etc.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures. To appear in the Special Issue of IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems on Cyber-Physical Systems, 201

Metal-organic framework-derived Ni 2 P/nitrogen-doped carbon porous spheres for enhanced lithium storage

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs)/carbonaceous matrices have gradually attracted attention in the field of energy storage. In this study, we presented nickel phosphide (Ni2P) nanoparticles anchored to nitrogen-doped carbon porous spheres (Ni2P/NC) by using metal-organic framework-Ni as the template. The comprehensive encapsulation architecture provides closer contact among the Ni2P nanoparticles and greatly improves the structural integrity as well as the electronic conductivity, resulting in excellent lithium storage performance. The reversible specific capacity of 286.4 mA h g−1 has been obtained even at a high current density of 3.0 A g−1 and 450.4 mA h g−1 is obtained after 800 cycles at 0.5 A g−1. Furthermore, full batteries based on LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2||Ni2P/NC exhibit both good rate capability and cycling life. This study provides a powerful and in-depth insight on new advanced electrodes in high-performance energy storage devices

DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS OF SIJUNZI DECOCTION INHIBIT PROLIFERATION AND INDUCE APOPTOSIS OF HUMAN GASTRIC CANCER SGC-7901 SIDE POPULATION

Background: SD is a traditional Chinese medicine which composed of Ginseng, Atractylodes, Poria and Licorice. It is one of the commonly used Chinese traditional medicines that showed anti-gastric cancer activity in clinical studies. Previous evidence demonstrated SD parties (Ginseng, Atractylodes, Poria, Licorice) can inhibit proliferation and induced apoptosis for gastric cancer cell. In order to further investigate the anticancer effect of SD in gastric cancer, we observed the effects of different concentrations of SD on proliferation and apoptosis of SP of human gastric cancer SGC-7901. Materials and Methods: 1. SGC-7901 side population cells were sorted through flow cytometry. 2. To detect the changes of proliferation of SP and NSP before and after the intervention of serum containing different concentrations of SD using cck-8 method. 3. To detect the changes of cell cycle and apoptosis of SP and NSP before and after the intervention of serum containing different concentrations of SD through flow cytometry. 4. To detect the effects of serum containing different concentrations of SD on apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2 of SP and NSP before and after the intervention by western-blot. Results: It was found that different concentrations of SD serum treatments inhibited cell proliferation in a time-dependent and concentration-dependent manner. Compared with the control group (normal saline treatment), there were increase in G1/G0 phase population of SP and NSP, and decrease in G2/M and S phase population (

SIJUNZI DECOCTION DEMOLITION PARTIES INHIBIT PROLIFERATION AND INDUCE APOPTOSIS OF HUMAN GASTRIC CANCER BGC823 SIDE POPULATION

Background: Comprehensive treatment combining with Chinese medicine has become the main therapeutic regimen of gastric cancer. Previous evidence demonstrated SD can enhance the effect of chemotherapy in advanced cancer, especially in gastric cancer. In order to investigate the anticancer mechanism of SD in gastric cancer, we observed the effects of SD parties (Ginseng, Atractylodes, Poria, Licorice) on proliferation and apoptosis of SP of human gastric cancer BGC-823. Materials and Methods: 1. BGC-823 side population cells were sorted through flow cytometry. 2. To detect the changes of proliferation of SP and NSP before and after the intervention of serum containing SD parties using cck-8 method. 3. To detect the changes of cell cycle and apoptosis of SP and NSP before and after the intervention of serum containing SD parties through flow cytometry. 4. To detect the effects of serum containing SD parties on apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2 of SP and NSP before and after the intervention by western-blot. Results: It was found that four demolition parties serum treatments inhibited cell proliferation in a time-dependent manner. Compared with the control group (normal saline treatment), there were increase in G1/G0 phase population of SP and NSP, and decrease in G2/M and S phase population (

Islet Oxygen Consumption Rate (OCR) Dose Predicts Insulin Independence in Clinical Islet Autotransplantation

Background: Reliable in vitro islet quality assessment assays that can be performed routinely, prospectively, and are able to predict clinical transplant outcomes are needed. In this paper we present data on the utility of an assay based on cellular oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in predicting clinical islet autotransplant (IAT) insulin independence (II). IAT is an attractive model for evaluating characterization assays regarding their utility in predicting II due to an absence of confounding factors such as immune rejection and immunosuppressant toxicity. Methods: Membrane integrity staining (FDA/PI), OCR normalized to DNA (OCR/DNA), islet equivalent (IE) and OCR (viable IE) normalized to recipient body weight (IE dose and OCR dose), and OCR/DNA normalized to islet size index (ISI) were used to characterize autoislet preparations (n = 35). Correlation between pre-IAT islet product characteristics and II was determined using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Results: Preparations that resulted in II had significantly higher OCR dose and IE dose (p<0.001). These islet characterization methods were highly correlated with II at 6–12 months post-IAT (area-under-the-curve (AUC) = 0.94 for IE dose and 0.96 for OCR dose). FDA/PI (AUC = 0.49) and OCR/DNA (AUC = 0.58) did not correlate with II. OCR/DNA/ISI may have some utility in predicting outcome (AUC = 0.72). Conclusions: Commonly used assays to determine whether a clinical islet preparation is of high quality prior to transplantation are greatly lacking in sensitivity and specificity. While IE dose is highly predictive, it does not take into account islet cell quality. OCR dose, which takes into consideration both islet cell quality and quantity, may enable a more accurate and prospective evaluation of clinical islet preparations

Haplotype sharing correlation of alcohol dependence on chromosomes 1–6 in 93 nuclear families-0

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Haplotype sharing correlation of alcohol dependence on chromosomes 1–6 in 93 nuclear families"</p><p></p><p>BMC Genetics 2005;6(Suppl 1):S79-S79.</p><p>Published online 30 Dec 2005</p><p>PMCID:PMC1866702.</p><p></p>gth equals to chromosome length, and three markers with statistical significances exceeding the threshold are labeled with their marker names

Minimum-Recombinant Haplotyping in Pedigrees

This article presents a six-rule algorithm for the reconstruction of multiple minimum-recombinant haplotype configurations in pedigrees. The algorithm has three major features: First, it allows exhaustive search of all possible haplotype configurations under the criterion that there are minimum recombinants between markers. Second, its computational requirement is on the order of O(J(2)L(3)) in current implementation, where J is the family size and L is the number of marker loci under analysis. Third, it applies to various pedigree structures, with and without consanguinity relationship, and allows missing alleles to be imputed, during the haplotyping process, from their identical-by-descent copies. Haplotyping examples are provided using both published and simulated data sets