Hybrid-Controlled Neurofuzzy Networks Analysis Resulting in Genetic Regulatory Networks Reconstruction

Reverse engineering of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is the process of estimating genetic interactions of a cellular system from gene expression data. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid systematic algorithm based on neurofuzzy network for reconstructing GRNs from observational gene expression data when only a medium-small number of measurements are available. The approach uses fuzzy logic to transform gene expression values into qualitative descriptors that can be evaluated by using a set of defined rules. The algorithm uses neurofuzzy network to model genes effects on other genes followed by four stages of decision making to extract gene interactions. One of the main features of the proposed algorithm is that an optimal number of fuzzy rules can be easily and rapidly extracted without overparameterizing. Data analysis and simulation are conducted on microarray expression profiles of S. cerevisiae cell cycle and demonstrate that the proposed algorithm not only selects the patterns of the time series gene expression data accurately, but also provides models with better reconstruction accuracy when compared with four published algorithms: DBNs, VBEM, time delay ARACNE, and PF subjected to LASSO. The accuracy of the proposed approach is evaluated in terms of recall and F-score for the network reconstruction task

Arbutin attenuates nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin

Objective: In this study, the impact of arbutin was examined in a gentamicin (GM)-induced nephrotoxicity model. Materials and Methods: Forty adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups including control group; GM group, and three groups of GM+arbutin (25, 50 and 75 mg/kg). One day after the last injection of GM, creatinine, urea, carbonyl, thiobarbituric acid-reacting substance (TBARs), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 8-hydroxyguanosine levels were assessed in serum samples. Left and right kidneys were used for biochemical assays and histological evaluation, respectively. Results: Our data showed that the FRAP level (p<0.05), urea (p<0.001), creatinine (p<0.001), and 8-hydroxyguanosine (p<0.001) levels of serum samples, were increased in GM-treated rats compared to the controls. The serum levels of TBARS (p<0.001) and carbonyl increased in serum and renal tissue (p<0.001) of GM-treated animals. Conversely, arbutin attenuated serum creatinine, urea and 8-hydroxyguanosine, and TBARS (p<0.001). Administration of arbutin significantly decreased carbonyl levels in serum and renal tissue samples (p<0.001). Furthermore, the levels of FRAP increased in the serum (p<0.01) and renal tissue samples (p<0.001) of arbutin-treated animals. Histological staining showed that arbutin significantly inhibits kidney damages. Conclusion: Our data suggest that arbutin attenuates GM-induced nephrotoxicity through its free radicals-scavenging activity

Awareness Levels about Breast Cancer Risk Factors, Early Warning Signs, and Screening and Therapeutic Approaches among Iranian Adult Women: A large Population Based Study Using Latent Class Analysis

Background and Objective. Breast cancer (BC) continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality among women throughout the world and in Iran. Lack of awareness and early detection program in developing country is a main reason for escalating the mortality. The present research was conducted to assess the Iranian women’s level of knowledge about breast cancer risk factors, early warning signs, and therapeutic and screening approaches, and their correlated determinants. Methods. In a cross-sectional study, 2250 women before participating at a community based screening and public educational program in an institute of cancer research in Isfahan, Iran, in 2012 were investigated using a self-administered questionnaire about risk factors, early warning signs, and therapeutic and screening approaches of BC. Latent class regression as a comprehensive statistical method was used for evaluating the level of knowledge and its correlated determinants. Results. Only 33.2%, 31.9%, 26.7%, and 35.8% of study participants had high awareness levels about screening approaches, risk factors, early warning signs and therapeutic modalities of breast cancer, respectively, and majority had poor to moderate knowledge levels. Most effective predictors of high level of awareness were higher educational qualifications, attending in screening and public educational programs, personal problem, and family history of BC, respectively. Conclusion. Results of current study indicated that the levels of awareness among study population about key elements of BC are low. These findings reenforce the continuing need for more BC education through conducting public and professional programs that are intended to raise awareness among younger, single women and those with low educational attainments and without family history

Comparing Distortionary Effects of Iran Petroleum Contracts (IPC) and Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) Using Stochastic Dynamic Programming Model: The Case of South Azadegan field

This paper analyzes and compares the behavioral responses of the operator to the fiscal regime of the two types of contracts, Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC) and Production Sharing Contracts (PSC) with using the dynamic optimization approach (dynamic programming method). This paper aims to numerically compute the amount of distortions caused by the petroleum contracts, which creates some distortion in the investor's decision regarding to the neutral case that means there is no contractual restrictions including government share of resource rent, tax, extraction timing, cost recovery limit and so on. The focal point of this paper is the application of the stochastic dynamic programming for a real oil field in order to achieve the numerical results and using the deadweight loss (DWL) as an actual measure for assessment of the distortion of the contract regarding the first best case (neutral path). Accordingly, with using the information of the South Azadegan field, the results show that both fiscal terms of IPC and PSC have distortionary effects and the DWL of the IPC is more than that of PSC. For instance, in the reference scenario and reference oil prices the DWL of IPC and PSC are 22/22% and 21/14% respectively

How to Create Business Value through Information Technology (A Case Study on Automotive Production)

This study aimed at designing information technology business value model in order to explain the value of information technology in business and evaluate information technology contribution in organization function. For the purpose of a comprehensive analysis of the subject using qualitative data, the research method was set to be mixed method focusing on qualitative sequential design. The first stage of the research strategy was an exploratory single case study and for the second phase, the researchers used focus groups design. Saipa Corporation, one of the most famous firms in Iranian automotive industry, was selected as the case. The varied qualitative date were gathered through interview, document review and observation methods and were analyzed afterwards. Ultimately, the findings of the study highlighted the items and dimensions of information technology business value. This model is composed of the relationship between different dimensions of the theoretical models regarding and the share of information technology in building a business. In order to ensure research generalizability, the results of the research were compared with those in the literature review and the theoretic adequacy of the proposed framework was confirmed

A Study of arbutin protective effect on cyclosporin A-induced oxidative damage

Background: Cyclosporine A (CsA) is a potent immunosuppressant drug with therapeutic and toxic actions. The use of CsA is limited by its toxicity. Several researchers had proposed that oxidative stress could play an important role in CsA-induced toxicity. Arbutin has recently been shown to possess antioxidative and free radical scavenging abilities.The present study was designed to investigate the in vivo effects of arbutin on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant capacity in the serum of cyclosporine treated rats.  Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were divided into six groups (n=8/group): (I) control (no CsA and arbutin administration), (II and III) were treated subcutaneously (Sc) with arbutin (50,100 mg/kg/bw), respectively, (IV) administered CsA (25 mg/kg/bw) intraperitoneally (IP), (V and VI) received the combination of CsA (25 mg/kg/bw) i.p and arbutin (50,100 mg/kg/bw) Sc daily, respectively. At the end of the treatment (after3 weeks), serum lipid peroxidation was measured by thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS) and serum total antioxidant capacity (ferric reducing ability of plasma [FRAP]) was assayed based on spectrophotometric method.  Results: TBARS had been significantly increased by CsA administration compared with control rats. Arbutin (50mg/kg/bw) completely prevented this effect, but arbutin (100 mg/kg/bw) alone or in combination with CsA significantly increased lipid peroxidation compared with controls.  Conclusion: Our data indicate that arbutin (50mg/kg/bw) had protective effect in the CsA-induced toxicity but high concentration of arbutin (100mg/kg/bw) showed meaningful oxidative and lipoperoxidative effects