SLC9/NHE gene family, a plasma membrane and organellar family of Na⁺/H⁺ exchangers

This brief review of the human Na/H exchanger gene family introduces a new classification with three subgroups to the SLC9 gene family. Progress in the structure and function of this gene family is reviewed with structure based on homology to the bacterial Na/H exchanger NhaA. Human diseases which result from genetic abnormalities of the SLC9 family are discussed although the exact role of these transporters in causing any disease is not established, other than poorly functioning NHE3 in congenital Na diarrhea

Microstructured Fibre Taper with Constant Outer Diameter

Department of Electrical Engineerin

Reanalyze unassigned reads in Sanger based metagenomic data using conserved gene adjacency

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Investigation of metagenomes provides greater insight into uncultured microbial communities. The improvement in sequencing technology, which yields a large amount of sequence data, has led to major breakthroughs in the field. However, at present, taxonomic binning tools for metagenomes discard 30-40% of Sanger sequencing data due to the stringency of BLAST cut-offs. In an attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of metagenomic data, we re-analyzed the discarded metagenomes by using less stringent cut-offs. Additionally, we introduced a new criterion, namely, the evolutionary conservation of adjacency between neighboring genes. To evaluate the feasibility of our approach, we re-analyzed discarded contigs and singletons from several environments with different levels of complexity. We also compared the consistency between our taxonomic binning and those reported in the original studies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the discarded data, we found that 23.7 ± 3.9% of singletons and 14.1 ± 1.0% of contigs were assigned to taxa. The recovery rates for singletons were higher than those for contigs. The <it>Pearson </it>correlation coefficient revealed a high degree of similarity (0.94 ± 0.03 at the phylum rank and 0.80 ± 0.11 at the family rank) between the proposed taxonomic binning approach and those reported in original studies. In addition, an evaluation using simulated data demonstrated the reliability of the proposed approach.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that taking account of conserved neighboring gene adjacency improves taxonomic assignment when analyzing metagenomes using Sanger sequencing. In other words, utilizing the conserved gene order as a criterion will reduce the amount of data discarded when analyzing metagenomes.</p

The Determinant Factors Affecting Cloud Computing Adoption by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Sabah, Malaysia

Cloud computing offers organisations many benefits such as low entry costs, enhanced flexibility, ubiquitous access, and scalability. Despite its attractiveness and benefits, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are still hesitant to adopt cloud computing services. This study used the Technology Organisation Environment (TOE) framework to identify the determinant factors affecting the adoption of cloud computing by SMEs in Sabah, Malaysia. Survey questionnaires collected data from 170 SMEs across all sectors within the region. A total of six factors were verified in this research. The results indicated that cost saving, top management support and technology readiness are the main factors affecting the adoption of cloud computing by SMEs in Sabah. However, other three factors; relative advantage, competitive pressure, and external support did not affect the adoption of cloud computing for these organisations. This finding could provide insight and clarity of information for the SMEs’ decision and policymakers in various sectors. It also provides understanding on the different influencing factors that affect SMEs’ perceptions of the importance of adopting cloud computing

Evaluation of the new AJCC staging system for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the 7^thedition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system (TNM-7) for patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Partial hepatectomies performed for 879 patients from 1993 to 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathological factors, surgical outcome, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed to evaluate the predictive value of the TNM-7 staging system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>According to the TNM-7 system, differences in five-year survival between stages I, II, and III were statistically significant. Subgroup analysis of stage III patients revealed that the difference between stages II and IIIA was not significant (OS, <it>p </it>= 0.246; DFS, <it>p </it>= 0.105). Further stratification of stages IIIA, IIIB and IIIC also did not reveal significant differences. Cox proportional hazard models of stage III analyses identified additional clinicopathological factors affecting patient survival: lack of tumor encapsulation, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values > 68 U/L, and blood loss > 500 mL affected DFS whereas lack of tumor encapsulation, AST values > 68 U/L, blood loss > 500 mL, and serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) values > 200 ng/mL were independent factors impairing OS. Stage III factors including tumor thrombus, satellite lesions, and tumor rupture did not appear to influence survival in the stage III subgroup.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In terms of 5-year survival rates, the TNM-7 system is capable of stratifying post-hepatectomy HCC patients into stages I, II, and III but is unable to stratify stage III patients into stages IIIA, IIIB and IIIC. Lack of tumor encapsulation, AST values > 68 U/L, blood loss > 500 mL, and AFP values > 200 ng/mL are independent prognostic factors affecting long-term survival.</p

Molecular Basis and Differentiation-Associated Alterations of Anion Secretion in Human Duodenal Enteroid Monolayers

Background & Aims: Human enteroids present a novel tool to study human intestinal ion transport physiology and pathophysiology. The present study describes the contributions of Cl- and HCO3 - secretion to total cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-stimulated electrogenic anion secretion in human duodenal enteroid monolayers and the relevant changes after differentiation. Methods: Human duodenal enteroids derived from 4 donors were grown as monolayers and differentiated by a protocol that includes the removal of Wnt3A, R-spondin1, and SB202190 for 5 days. The messenger RNA level and protein expression of selected ion transporters and carbonic anhydrase isoforms were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting, respectively. Undifferentiated and differentiated enteroid monolayers were mounted in the Ussing chamber/voltage-current clamp apparatus, using solutions that contained as well as lacked Cl- and HCO3 -/CO2, to determine the magnitude of forskolin-induced short-circuit current change and its sensitivity to specific inhibitors that target selected ion transporters and carbonic anhydrase(s). Results: Differentiation resulted in a significant reduction in the messenger RNA level and protein expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, (CFTR) Na+/K+/2Cl- co-transporter 1 (NKCC1), and potassium channel, voltage gated, subfamily E, regulatory subunit 3 (KCNE3); and, conversely, increase of down-regulated-in-adenoma (DRA), electrogenic Na+/HCO3 - co-transporter 1 (NBCe1), carbonic anhydrase 2 (CA2), and carbonic anhydrase 4 (CA4). Both undifferentiated and differentiated enteroids showed active cAMP-stimulated anion secretion that included both Cl- and HCO3 - secretion as th

Epidemiological determinants of spread of causal agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: Health authorities worldwide, especially in the Asia Pacific region, are seeking effective public-health interventions in the continuing epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). We assessed the epidemiology of SARS in Hong Kong. METHODS: We included 1425 cases reported up to April 28, 2003. An integrated database was constructed from several sources containing information on epidemiological, demographic, and clinical variables. We estimated the key epidemiological distributions: infection to onset, onset to admission, admission to death, and admission to discharge. We measured associations between the estimated case fatality rate and patients' age and the time from onset to admission. FINDINGS: After the initial phase of exponential growth, the rate of confirmed cases fell to less than 20 per day by April 28. Public-health interventions included encouragement to report to hospital rapidly after the onset of clinical symptoms, contact tracing for confirmed and suspected cases, and quarantining, monitoring, and restricting the travel of contacts. The mean incubation period of the disease is estimated to be 6.4 days (95% CI 5.2-7.7). The mean time from onset of clinical symptoms to admission to hospital varied between 3 and 5 days, with longer times earlier in the epidemic. The estimated case fatality rate was 13.2% (9.8-16.8) for patients younger than 60 years and 43.3% (35.2-52.4) for patients aged 60 years or older assuming a parametric gamma distribution. A non-parametric method yielded estimates of 6.8% (4.0-9.6) and 55.0% (45.3-64.7), respectively. Case clusters have played an important part in the course of the epidemic. INTERPRETATION: Patients' age was strongly associated with outcome. The time between onset of symptoms and admission to hospital did not alter outcome, but shorter intervals will be important to the wider population by restricting the infectious period before patients are placed in quarantine

Observation of Interlayer Phonon Modes in van der Waals Heterostructures

We have investigated the vibrational properties of van der Waals heterostructures of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), specifically MoS2/WSe2 and MoSe2/MoS2 heterobilayers and twisted MoS2 bilayers, by means of ultralow-frequency Raman spectroscopy. We discovered Raman features (at 30–40 cm−1) that arise from the layer-breathing mode (LBM) vibration between the two incommensurate TMD monolayers in these structures. The LBM Raman intensity correlates strongly with the suppression of photoluminescence that arises from interlayer charge transfer. The LBM is generated only in bilayer areas with direct layer-layer contact and an atomically clean interface. Its frequency also evolves systematically with the relative orientation between the two layers. Our research demonstrates that the LBM can serve as a sensitive probe to the interface environment and interlayer interactions in van der Waals materials