Empirical Validation of Objective Functions in Feature Selection Based on Acceleration Motion Segmentation Data

Recent change in evaluation criteria from accuracy alone to trade-off with time delay has inspired multivariate energy-based approaches in motion segmentation using acceleration. The essence of multivariate approaches lies in the construction of highly dimensional energy and requires feature subset selection in machine learning. Due to fast process, filter methods are preferred; however, their poorer estimate is of the main concerns. This paper aims at empirical validation of three objective functions for filter approaches, Fisher discriminant ratio, multiple correlation (MC), and mutual information (MI), through two subsequent experiments. With respect to 63 possible subsets out of 6 variables for acceleration motion segmentation, three functions in addition to a theoretical measure are compared with two wrappers, k-nearest neighbor and Bayes classifiers in general statistics and strongly relevant variable identification by social network analysis. Then four kinds of new proposed multivariate energy are compared with a conventional univariate approach in terms of accuracy and time delay. Finally it appears that MC and MI are acceptable enough to match the estimate of two wrappers, and multivariate approaches are justified with our analytic procedures

Multi-cellular natural killer (NK) cell clusters enhance NK cell activation through localizing IL-2 within the cluster

1154Ysciescopu

Genetic Association of NPY Gene Polymorphisms with Dampness-Phlegm Pattern in Korean Stroke Patients

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), which is widely expressed in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, has an important role in a variety of biological fields. In this study, we analyzed the distribution of NPY polymorphisms in dampness-phlegm pattern and non-dampness-phlegm pattern in elderly Korean subjects with cerebral infarction (CI). A total of 1.097 subjects (498 normal subjects and 599 CI patients, including 198 with dampness-phlegm pattern and 401 with non-dampness-phlegm pattern) participated in this study. Genotyping for five SNPs (G-1484A, C-1471T, C-399T, A1201G, and C5325T) was conducted by primer extension. The results were statistically analyzed for genetic association of NPY-polymorphisms with normal versus dampness-phlegm pattern or non-dampness-phlegm pattern subjects. Among the five SNPs tested, the T allele of C-399T has a negative association with the dampness-phlegm pattern and is marked by a decrease in serum cholesterol levels. Furthermore, serum cholesterol levels were significantly higher in dampness-phlegm pattern patients than in non-dampness-phlegm pattern patients.In this study, for the first time, the association of NPY polymorphisms with pattern identification (PI) of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) was analyzed in a large CI patient population

Korean Adolescents Experience of Yoga Class: Healthy Habits Beyond Exercise

Purpose: This study was designed to explore adolescents experience with yoga class in South Korea. Methods: Qualitative data were collected by focus group interviews from February to March 2014. Eleven adolescents who experienced yoga class were recruited from two different schools. The interview questions investigated adolescents experience with yoga regarding expectations before yoga class, positive changes after yoga, and advice for future yoga classes. Results: Three primary themes from the qualitative content analysis include 1) motivation to join a yoga class, 2) perceived benefits after class and 3) suggestions for school-based yoga. We found that high school students had intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to join yoga classes, and the perceived benefits included physical, psychological, cognitive and social aspects. The students also indicated the need for support by person, yoga with fun and information, yoga tailored by individual goal, simple and easy class. Conclusion: These results suggest that yoga could be an appropriate intervention for holistic health care, and school-based yoga should be applied by focusing on the various situational needs of adolescents. Furthermore, when yoga leads to healthy habits compared to just simple exercise, a balanced development of adolescents can be achieved

Feasibility of fetoscopic laser coagulation in triplet pregnancy

Objective To report the experiences of triplet pregnancies complicated by twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) treated with fetoscopic laser coagulation at a single center. Methods Herein, we conducted a retrospective analysis to investigate the management and perinatal outcomes of triplet pregnancies with TTTS treated at a single institution between 2017 and 2022. Results Seven of the 98 triplet pregnancies (7.1%) encountered were complicated by TTTS, and all were dichorionic triamniotic triplets. Of the seven triplet pregnancies complicated by TTTS, four were treated with fetoscopic laser coagulation at our center, at a median gestational age of 20 weeks. No procedure-related complications or maternal complications were observed. The survival rate was higher and perinatal outcomes were better in fetoscopic laser coagulation cases than in other management cases. Four donor and four recipient triplets survived, with a median gestational age of 33 weeks at delivery. Although there were no cases of poor neonatal outcomes, one case was diagnosed with white matter injury, suspected to be hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy on postnatal investigation. Conclusion Fetoscopic laser coagulation is a feasible treatment option for triplet TTTS, provided the attending specialists have extensive experience with this technique

Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Insulin Biosynthesis: A Review

Insulin resistance and pancreatic beta cell dysfunction are major contributors to the pathogenesis of diabetes. Various conditions play a role in the pathogenesis of pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and are correlated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Pancreatic beta cells are susceptible to ER stress. Many studies have shown that increased ER stress induces pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and diabetes mellitus using genetic models of ER stress and by various stimuli. There are many reports indicating that ER stress plays an important role in the impairment of insulin biosynthesis, suggesting that reduction of ER stress could be a therapeutic target for diabetes. In this paper, we reviewed the relationship between ER stress and diabetes and how ER stress controls insulin biosynthesis

Differential Association of Uncoupling Protein 2 Polymorphisms with Pattern Identification among Korean Stroke Patients: A Diagnostic System in Traditional Korean Medicine

Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), a mitochondrial protein present in many organs and cell types, is known to dissipate the proton gradient formed by the electron transport chain. Its function is correlated with predictive parameters, such as obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndromes. We analyzed the distribution of UCP2 polymorphisms in stroke patients diagnosed with one of the following four stroke subtypes based on the TKM standard pattern identification (PI): Qi-deficiency (QD), Dampness and Phlegm (D&P), Yin-deficiency (YD), and Fire and Heat (F&D). We studied a total of 1,786 stroke patients (397/QD, 645/D&P, 223/YD, and 522/F&D, 586/normal). Genotyping for the G-1957A, G-866A and A55V UCP2 polymorphisms was performed using the TaqMan. G-866A and A55V were significantly associated with the D&P and H&F subtypes. The frequency of subjects with the A allele of G-866A was significantly lower than the frequency of subjects with the GG type. The A55V polymorphism was also shown similar effect with G-866A in the dominant model. In contrast, no SNPs were shown to be associated with the QD or YD subtypes in this study. These results showed that the G-866A and A55V UCP2 polymorphisms may be genetic factors for specific PI types among Korean stroke patients

Novel involvement of leukotriene B4 receptor 2 through ERK activation by PP2A down-regulation in leukotriene B4-induced keratin phosphorylation and reorganization of pancreatic cancer cells

AbstractPerinuclear reorganization via phosphorylation of specific serine residues in keratin is involved in the deformability of metastatic cancer cells. The level of leukotriene B4 is high in pancreatic cancers. However, the roles of LTB4 and its cognate receptors in keratin reorganization of pancreatic cancers are not known. LTB4 dose-dependently induced phosphorylation and reorganization of Keratin 8 (K8) and these processes were reversed by LY255283 (BLT2 antagonist). BLT2 agonists such as Comp A and 15(S)-HETE also induced phosphorylation of serine 431 in K8. Moreover, Comp A-induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization were blocked by LY255283. Gene silencing of BLT2 suppressed Comp A-induced K8 phosphorylation and reorganization in PANC-1 cells. Over-expression of BLT2 promoted K8 phosphorylation. Comp A promoted the migration of PANC-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner, and LY255283 blocked Comp A-induced migration, respectively. PD98059 (ERK inhibitor) suppressed Comp A-induced phosphorylation of serine 431 and reorganization of K8. Gene silencing of BLT2 suppressed the expression of pERK, and over-expression of BLT2 increased the expression of pERK even without Comp A. Comp A induced the expression of active ERK (pERK) and BLT2. These inductions were blocked by PD98059. Comp A decreased PP2A expression and hindered the binding of PP2A to the K8, leading to the activation of ERK. PD98059 suppressed the Comp A-induced migration of PANC-1 cells and BLT2 over-expression-induced migration of PANC-1 cells. Overall, these results suggest that BLT2 is involved in LTB4‐induced phosphorylation and reorganization through ERK activation by PP2A downregulation, leading to increased migration of PANC‐1 cells

Isolation and functional characterization of CE1 binding proteins

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone that controls seed germination, protective responses to various abiotic stresses and seed maturation. The ABA-dependent processes entail changes in gene expression. Numerous genes are regulated by ABA, and promoter analyses of the genes revealed that <it>cis</it>-elements sharing the ACGTGGC consensus sequence are ubiquitous among ABA-regulated gene promoters. The importance of the core sequence, which is generally known as ABA response element (ABRE), has been demonstrated by various experiments, and its cognate transcription factors known as ABFs/AREBs have been identified. Although necessary, ABRE alone is not sufficient, and another <it>cis</it>-element known as "coupling element (CE)" is required for full range ABA-regulation of gene expression. Several CEs are known. However, despite their importance, the cognate transcription factors mediating ABA response via CEs have not been reported to date. Here, we report the isolation of transcription factors that bind one of the coupling elements, CE1.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To isolate CE1 binding proteins, we carried out yeast one-hybrid screens. Reporter genes containing a trimer of the CE1 element were prepared and introduced into a yeast strain. The yeast was transformed with library DNA that represents RNA isolated from ABA-treated Arabidopsis seedlings. From the screen of 3.6 million yeast transformants, we isolated 78 positive clones. Analysis of the clones revealed that a group of AP2/ERF domain proteins binds the CE1 element. We investigated their expression patterns and analyzed their overexpression lines to investigate the <it>in vivo </it>functions of the CE element binding factors (CEBFs). Here, we show that one of the CEBFs, AtERF13, confers ABA hypersensitivity in Arabidopsis, whereas two other CEBFs enhance sugar sensitivity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results indicate that a group of AP2/ERF superfamily proteins interacts with CE1. Several CEBFs are known to mediate defense or abiotic stress response, but the physiological functions of other CEBFs remain to be determined. Our <it>in vivo </it>functional analysis of several CEBFs suggests that they are likely to be involved in ABA and/or sugar response. Together with previous results reported by others, our current data raise an interesting possibility that the coupling element CE1 may function not only as an ABRE but also as an element mediating biotic and abiotic stress responses.</p