The Use of Fuzzy BackPropagation Neural Networks for the Early Diagnosis of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy in Newborns

Objective. To establish an early diagnostic system for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in newborns based on artificial neural networks and to determine its feasibility. Methods. Based on published research as well as preliminary studies in our laboratory, multiple noninvasive indicators with high sensitivity and specificity were selected for the early diagnosis of HIE and employed in the present study, which incorporates fuzzy logic with artificial neural networks. Results. The analysis of the diagnostic results from the fuzzy neural network experiments with 140 cases of HIE showed a correct recognition rate of 100% in all training samples and a correct recognition rate of 95% in all the test samples, indicating a misdiagnosis rate of 5%. Conclusion. A preliminary model using fuzzy backpropagation neural networks based on a composite index of clinical indicators was established and its accuracy for the early diagnosis of HIE was validated. Therefore, this method provides a convenient tool for the early clinical diagnosis of HIE

p70S6K1 (S6K1)-Mediated Phosphorylation Regulates Phosphatidylinositol 4-Phosphate 5-Kinase Type I \u3cem\u3eγ\u3c/em\u3e Degradation and Cell Invasion

Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase type I γ (PIPKIγ90) ubiquitination and subsequent degradation regulate focal adhesion assembly, cell migration, and invasion. However, it is unknown how upstream signals control PIPKIγ90 ubiquitination or degradation. Here we show that p70S6K1 (S6K1), a downstream target of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), phosphorylates PIPKIγ90 at Thr-553 and Ser-555 and that S6K1-mediated PIPKIγ90 phosphorylation is essential for cell migration and invasion. Moreover, PIPKIγ90 phosphorylation is required for the development of focal adhesions and invadopodia, key machineries for cell migration and invasion. Surprisingly, substitution of Thr-553 and Ser-555 with Ala promoted PIPKIγ90 ubiquitination but enhanced the stability of PIPKIγ90, and depletion of S6K1 also enhanced the stability of PIPKIγ90, indicating that PIPKIγ90 ubiquitination alone is insufficient for its degradation. These data suggest that S6K1-mediated PIPKIγ90 phosphorylation regulates cell migration and invasion by controlling PIPKIγ90 degradation

Volatility of mixed atmospheric humic-like substances and ammonium sulfate particles

The volatility of organic aerosols remains poorly understood due to the complexity of speciation and multiphase processes. In this study, we extracted humic-like substances (HULIS) from four atmospheric aerosol samples collected at the SORPES station in Nanjing, eastern China, and investigated the volatility behavior of particles at different sizes using a Volatility Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (VTDMA). In spite of the large differences in particle mass concentrations, the extracted HULIS from the four samples all revealed very high-oxidation states (O : C > 0.95), indicating secondary formation as the major source of HULIS in Yangtze River Delta (YRD). An overall low volatility was identified for the extracted HULIS, with the volume fraction remaining (VFR) higher than 55% for all the regenerated HULIS particles at the temperature of 280 degrees C. A kinetic mass transfer model was applied to the thermodenuder (TD) data to interpret the observed evaporation pattern of HULIS, and to derive the mass fractions of semi-volatile (SVOC), low-volatility (LVOC) and extremely low-volatility components (ELVOC). The results showed that LVOC and ELVOC dominated (more than 80 %) the total volume of HULIS. Atomizing processes led to a size-dependent evaporation of regenerated HULIS particles, and resulted in more ELVOC in smaller particles. In order to understand the role of interaction between inorganic salts and atmospheric organic mixtures in the volatility of an organic aerosol, the evaporation of mixed samples of ammonium sulfate (AS) and HULIS was measured. The results showed a significant but nonlinear influence of ammonium sulfate on the volatility of HULIS. The estimated fraction of ELVOC in the organic part of the largest particles (145 nm) increased from 26 %, in pure HULIS samples, to 93% in 1 : 3 (mass ratio of HULIS : AS) mixed samples, to 45% in 2 : 2 mixed samples, and to 70% in 3 : 1 mixed samples, suggesting that the interaction with ammonium sulfate tends to decrease the volatility of atmospheric organic compounds. Our results demonstrate that HULIS are important low-volatility, or even extremely low-volatility, compounds in the organic-aerosol phase. As important formation pathways of atmospheric HULIS, multiphase processes, including oxidation, oligomerization, polymerization and interaction with inorganic salts, are indicated to be important sources of low-volatility and extremely low-volatility species of organic aerosols.Peer reviewe

Two Lysines in the Forkhead Domain of Foxp3 Are Key to T Regulatory Cell Function

Background: The forkhead box transcription factor, Foxp3, is master regulator of the development and function of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory (Treg) cells that limit autoimmunity and maintain immune homeostasis. The carboxyl-terminal forkhead (FKH) domain is required for the nuclear localization and DNA binding of Foxp3. We assessed how individual FKH lysines contribute to the functions of Foxp3 in Treg cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: We found that mutation of FKH lysines at position 382 (K17) and at position 393 (K18) impaired Foxp3 DNA binding and inhibited Treg suppressive function in vivo and in vitro. These lysine mutations did not affect the level of expression of Foxp3 but inhibited IL-2 promoter remodeling and had important and differing effects on Treg-associated gene expression. Conclusions/Significance: These data point to complex effects of post-translational modifications at individual lysines within the Foxp3 FKH domain that affect Treg function. Modulation of these events using small molecule inhibitors ma

Helios Expression Is a Marker of T Cell Activation and Proliferation

Foxp3+ T-regulatory cells (Tregs) normally serve to attenuate immune responses and are key to maintenance of immune homeostasis. Over the past decade, Treg cells have become a major focus of research for many groups, and various functional subsets have been characterized. Recently, the Ikaros family member, Helios, was reported as a marker to discriminate naturally occurring, thymic-derived Tregs from those peripherally induced from naïve CD4+ T cells. We investigated Helios expression in murine and human T cells under resting or activating conditions, using well-characterized molecules of naïve/effector/memory phenotypes, as well as a set of Treg-associated markers. We found that Helios-negative T cells are enriched for naïve T cell phenotypes and vice versa. Moreover, Helios can be induced during T cell activation and proliferation, but regresses in the same cells under resting conditions. We demonstrated comparable findings using human and murine CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs, as well as in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Since Helios expression is associated with T cell activation and cellular division, regardless of the cell subset involved, it does not appear suitable as a marker to distinguish natural and induced Treg cells

Multi-Platform Next-Generation Sequencing of the Domestic Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo): Genome Assembly and Analysis

The combined application of next-generation sequencing platforms has provided an economical approach to unlocking the potential of the turkey genome

Parallel Probabilistic Neural Network (PPNN)

It was pointed out in this paper that the planar topology of current backpropagation neural network (BPNN) sets limits to solve the slow convergence rate problem, local minima, incapability of learning etc. problems associated with BPNN. The parallel probabilistic neural network (PPNN) using a new neural network topology---- stereotopology----was proposed to overcome these problems. The learning ability and the generalization ability of BPNN and PPNN were compared for several problems. The simulation results show that PPNN was capable of learning any kinds of problems much faster than BPNN and generalized better than BPNN too. It was analyzed that the faster, universal learnability of PPNN was due to the parallel characteristic of PPNN's stereotopology, and the better generalization ability came from the probabilistic characteristic of PPNN's memory retrieval rule PMRR. Key Words ---- Back-propagation neural network (BPNN), parallel probabilistic neural network (PPNN), planar topology,..

High-temperature precipitation behavior of W-containing 444-type ferritic stainless steel in a simulated cyclic annealing process

An important aspect of energy conservation and emission reduction in automotive industry is to improve the combustion efficiency of gasoline. The full combustion of gasoline will inevitably cause an increase in exhaust temperature. The coarsening and dissolution behavior of precipitates in steel will lead to a decrease in its high-temperature mechanical properties when the engine is used for a long time in such an alternating heating and cooling environment. In order to obtain ferritic stainless steel with good high-temperature resistance, this paper is based on 444 ferritic stainless steel and attempts to partially replace Mo element with W element to obtain Laves phase containing W, Mo, and Nb with more stable high-temperature performance. A simulated cyclic high-temperature annealing process up to 1050 °C was designed to investigate the precipitation behavior in this modified ferritic stainless steel. The results show that using W to replace Mo in 444 ferritic stainless steel can refine the grains of ferritic stainless steel. It can not only provide better solid solution strengthening at elevated temperature, but also stabilize the Laves phase and provide precipitation strengthening. The reason is that the W elements can change the composition of the Laves phase in ferritic stainless steels and precipitate Fe2(Nb, W) with high thermal stability to provide stable precipitation strengthening during long-term alternating annealing. The W-rich Laves phase is prone to precipitation at grain boundaries, effectively pinning grain boundaries and preventing microcracks from propagating along grain boundaries during service, thereby improving the service life of the steel