Higher-order Graph Attention Network for Stock Selection with Joint Analysis

Stock selection is important for investors to construct profitable portfolios. Graph neural networks (GNNs) are increasingly attracting researchers for stock prediction due to their strong ability of relation modelling and generalisation. However, the existing GNN methods only focus on simple pairwise stock relation and do not capture complex higher-order structures modelling relations more than two nodes. In addition, they only consider factors of technical analysis and overlook factors of fundamental analysis that can affect the stock trend significantly. Motivated by them, we propose higher-order graph attention network with joint analysis (H-GAT). H-GAT is able to capture higher-order structures and jointly incorporate factors of fundamental analysis with factors of technical analysis. Specifically, the sequential layer of H-GAT take both types of factors as the input of a long-short term memory model. The relation embedding layer of H-GAT constructs a higher-order graph and learn node embedding with GAT. We then predict the ranks of stock return. Extensive experiments demonstrate the superiority of our H-GAT method on the profitability test and Sharp ratio over both NSDAQ and NYSE datasetsComment: 12 pages, 6 figures

Inhibition of PKCβ2 overexpression ameliorates myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury in diabetic rats via restoring caveolin-3/Akt signaling

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Bioinformatic analysis of the human DHRS4 gene cluster and a proposed mechanism for its transcriptional regulation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster consists of three genes, <it>DHRS4</it>, <it>DHRS4L2 </it>and <it>DHRS4L1</it>. Among them, <it>DHRS4 </it>encodes NADP(H)-dependent retinol dehydrogenase/reductase. In a previous study, we investigated the alternative splicing of <it>DHRS4 </it>and <it>DHRS4L2</it>. <it>DHRS4L1 </it>was added to the gene cluster recently, but little is known about its structure and expression. To reveal the regulatory mechanism of the <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster expression, we studied the structure and transcription of <it>DHRS4L1 </it>in the context of the transcriptional behaviors of the human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster. Based on the results of bioinformatics analysis, we propose a possible mechanism for the transcriptional regulation of the human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The homologous comparison analysis suggests that <it>DHRS4</it>, <it>DHRS4L2 </it>and <it>DHRS4L1 </it>are three homologous genes in human. <it>DHRS4L1 </it>and <it>DHRS4L2 </it>are paralogues of <it>DHRS4</it>, and <it>DHRS4L2 </it>is the most recent member of the <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster. In the minus strand of the human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster, a gene transcribed in an antisense direction was found containing a 5' sequence overlapping the region of exon 1 and promoter of <it>DHRS4</it>. By cloning the full length of RNA variants through 5'RACE and 3'RACE, we identified two transcription start sites, within exon <it>a2 </it>and exon 1, of this newly named gene <it>DHRS4L1 </it>using neuroblastoma cell line BE(2)-M17. Analysis of exon composition in the transcripts of <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster revealed that exon 1 was absent in all the transcripts initiated from exon <it>a1 </it>of <it>DHRS4L2 </it>and exon <it>a2 </it>of <it>DHRS4L1</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Alternatively spliced RNA variants are prevalent in the human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster. Based on the analysis of gene transcripts and bioinformatic prediction, we propose here that antisense transcription may be involved in the transcriptional initiation regulation of <it>DHRS4 </it>and in the posttranscriptional splicing of <it>DHRS4L2 </it>and <it>DRHS4L1 </it>for the homologous identity of <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster. Beside the alternative transcriptional start sites, the antisense RNA is novel possible factor serving to remove exon 1 from the transcripts initiated from exon <it>a1 </it>and exon <it>a2</it>.</p

Molecular phylogeny and macroevolution of Chaitophorinae aphids (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Chaitophorinae is a predominantly Northern Hemisphere aphid subfamily characterized by numerous setae on the body. Two constituent tribes are associated with different host plants, with Chaitophorini feeding on deciduous trees and shrubs and Siphini colonizing grasses. Based on data from multiple genes (COI, COII, Cytb and EF-1α), geographical distribution and host association, this study investigated the phylogeny and macroevolution of Chaitophorinae using phylogenetic reconstruction, molecular dating, model-based ancestral area and character estimations and diversification rate calculation. Our results support the monophyly of Chaitophorinae and two tribes, indicate that Sipha and the two largest genera Chaitophorus and Periphyllus are not monophyletic, and suggest a need for a change in the taxonomic status of Lambersaphis, which was nested within Chaitophorus in the phylogenetic tree. We recovered an origin of Chaitophorinae on Acer plants from eastern Asia during the Late Cretaceous to early Palaeocene, followed by multiple dispersals into other areas that were responsible for its contemporary distribution. The origins of Siphini and Chaitophorus + Lambersaphis coincided with colonizations of novel host plants. An increase in diversification rate occurred within Chaitophorus in the Miocene and was associated with range expansion and switching onto new host plants, highlighting the roles of dispersal and host shift in aphid diversification

Type species of genera in Aphididae (Hemiptera Sternorrhyncha) with two new generic synonymies

P. 65-68The aphidologist community attending the Seventh International Symposium on Aphids in Fremantle (Western Australia, 2005) entrusted to us the preparation of a Part of the List of Available Names in Zoology devoted to the aphid genus-group taxa names, and this to be presented at the subsequent aphid symposium. During the course of our work (Nieto Nafría et al. 2009), we checked each genus to make sure its type species designation conformed to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1999) ―henceforth The Code and The Commission―, and that these designations were correctly represented in the literature, especially the two most recent taxonomic catalogues (Eastop & Hille Ris Lambers 1976; Remaudière & Remaudière 1997). Previous authors have used most of the procedures of type fixation enumerated in The Code, The Commission itself has used its Plenary Powers to fix six type species, and 11 genus-group names remain without types (Table 1). In the recent aphid taxonomic catalogues (Eastop & Hille Ris Lambers op. cit.; Remaudière & Remaudière op. cit.), we found three errors caused by mistakes propagated in the literature and two errors caused by incorrect application of Article 11 of The Code. We have also found that in the case of 11 names, the criteria of Article 70.3 of The Code were not met, and regardless, earlier editions of The Code did not allow type designations of that kind (see the last paragraph of the example in Article 70.3). This article corrects the five errors and conforms the 11 aphid type species designations to the nomenclatural standards of The Code.S

Use of Parsimony Analysis to Identify Areas of Endemism of Chinese Birds: Implications for Conservation and Biogeography

Parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE) was used to identify areas of endemism (AOEs) for Chinese birds at the subregional level. Four AOEs were identified based on a distribution database of 105 endemic species and using 18 avifaunal subregions as the operating geographical units (OGUs). The four AOEs are the Qinghai-Zangnan Subregion, the Southwest Mountainous Subregion, the Hainan Subregion and the Taiwan Subregion. Cladistic analysis of subregions generally supports the division of China’s avifauna into Palaearctic and Oriental realms. Two PAE area trees were produced from two different distribution datasets (year 1976 and 2007). The 1976 topology has four distinct subregional branches; however, the 2007 topology has three distinct branches. Moreover, three Palaearctic subregions in the 1976 tree clustered together with the Oriental subregions in the 2007 tree. Such topological differences may reflect changes in the distribution of bird species through circa three decades

Irradiation-induced telomerase activity and gastric cancer risk: a case-control analysis in a Chinese Han population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Telomerase expression is one of the characteristics of gastric cancer (GC) cells and telomerase activity is frequently up-regulated by a variety of mechanisms during GC development. Therefore, we hypothesized that elevated levels of activated telomerase might enhance GC risk due to increased propagation of cells with DNA damage, such as induced by γ-radiation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To explore this hypothesis, 246 GC cases and 246 matched controls were recruited in our case-control study. TRAP-ELISA was used to assess the levels of telomerase activity at baseline and after γ-radiation and the γ-radiation-induced telomerase activity (defined as after γ-irradiation/baseline) in cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our data showed that there was no significant difference for the baseline telomerase activity between GC cases and controls (10.17 ± 7.21 <it>vs. </it>11.02 ± 8.03, <it>p </it>= 0.168). However, after γ-radiation treatment, γ-radiation-induced telomerase activity was significantly higher in the cases than in the controls (1.51 ± 0.93 <it>vs</it>. 1.22 ± 0.66, <it>p </it>< 0.001). Using the median value of γ-radiation-induced telomerase activity in the controls as a cutoff point, we observed that high γ-radiation-induced telomerase activity was associated with a significantly increased GC risk (adjusted odds ratio, 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.83-3.18). Moreover, a dose response association was noted between γ-radiation-induced telomerase activity and GC risk. Age, but not sex, smoking and drinking status seem to have a modulating effect on the γ-radiation-induced telomerase activities in both cases and controls.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Overall, our findings for the first time suggest that the increased γ-radiation-induced telomerase activity in PBLs might be associated with elevated GC risk. Further confirmation of this association using a prospective study design is warranted.</p

Suppress HBV by therapeutic vaccine

乙肝预防性疫苗显著减少了乙肝新发感染，但目前全球仍有约2.5亿慢性乙肝感染者，若未得到有效治疗，可能发展为肝癌、肝硬化等终末期肝病并导致死亡。夏宁邵教授团队研究发展了一种新型的B细胞表位嵌合型类病毒颗粒乙肝治疗性疫苗（治疗性蛋白），在多种模型中证实了其对慢性乙肝感染的治疗潜力，为研发治疗慢性乙肝的原创药物提供了新思路。 我校博士后张天英、博士生郭雪染和博士生巫洋涛为该论文共同第一作者，夏宁邵教授、袁权副教授、张军教授为该论文的共同通讯作者。【Abstract】Objective: This study aimed to develop a novel therapeutic vaccine based on a unique B cell epitope and investigate its therapeutic potential against chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in animal models. Methods: A series of peptides and carrier proteins were evaluated in HBV-tolerant mice to obtain an optimized therapeutic molecule. The immunogenicity,therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of the candidate were investigated systematically. Results: Among the HBsAg-aa119-125-containing peptides evaluated in this study, HBsAg-aa113-135 (SEQ13) exhibited the most striking therapeutic effects. A novel immuno-enhanced virus-like particle carrier (CR-T3) derived from the roundleaf bat HBV core antigen (RBHBcAg) was created and used to display SEQ13, forming candidate molecule CR-T3-SEQ13. Multiple copies of SEQ13 displayed on the surface of this particulate antigen promote the induction of a potent anti-HBs antibody response in mice, rabbits and cynomolgus monkeys. Sera and purified polyclonal IgG from the immunized animals neutralized HBV infection in vitro and mediated efficient HBV/HBsAg clearance in the mice. CR-T3-SEQ13-based vaccination induced long-term suppression of HBsAg and HBV DNA in HBV transgenic mice and eradicated the virus completely in hydrodynamic-based HBV carrier mice. The suppressive effects on HBsAg were strongly correlated with the anti-HBs level after vaccination, suggesting that the main mechanism of CR-T3-SEQ13 vaccination therapy was the induction of a SEQ13-specific antibody response that mediated HBV/HBsAg clearance. Conclusions: The novel particulate protein CR-T3-SEQ13 suppressed HBsAg effectively through induction of a humoral immune response in HBV-tolerant mice. This B cell epitope-based therapeutic vaccine may provide a novel immunotherapeutic agent against chronic HBV infection in humans.This work was supported by the National Scientific and Technological Major project (2017ZX10202203-001), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31730029, 81672023, 81871316 and 81702006) and the Xiamen University President Fund Project (20720160063). 该研究获得了“艾滋病和病毒性肝炎等重大传染病防治”科技重大专项、国家自然科学基金等资助

Health impacts of parental migration on left-behind children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Globally, a growing number of children and adolescents are left behind when parents migrate. We investigated the effect of parental migration on the health of left behind-children and adolescents in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis we searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsychINFO, Global Index Medicus, Scopus, and Popline from inception to April 27, 2017, without language restrictions, for observational studies investigating the effects of parental migration on nutrition, mental health, unintentional injuries, infectious disease, substance use, unprotected sex, early pregnancy, and abuse in left-behind children (aged 0-19 years) in LMICs. We excluded studies in which less than 50% of participants were aged 0-19 years, the mean or median age of participants was more than 19 years, fewer than 50% of parents had migrated for more than 6 months, or the mean or median duration of migration was less than 6 months. We screened studies using systematic review software and extracted summary estimates from published reports independently. The main outcomes were risk and prevalence of health outcomes, including nutrition (stunting, wasting, underweight, overweight and obesity, low birthweight, and anaemia), mental health (depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, conduct disorders, self-harm, and suicide), unintentional injuries, substance use, abuse, and infectious disease. We calculated pooled risk ratios (RRs) and standardised mean differences (SMDs) using random-effects models. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42017064871. FINDINGS: Our search identified 10 284 records, of which 111 studies were included for analysis, including a total of 264 967 children (n=106 167 left-behind children and adolescents; n=158 800 children and adolescents of non-migrant parents). 91 studies were done in China and focused on effects of internal labour migration. Compared with children of non-migrants, left-behind children had increased risk of depression and higher depression scores (RR 1·52 [95% CI 1·27-1·82]; SMD 0·16 [0·10-0·21]), anxiety (RR 1·85 [1·36-2·53]; SMD 0·18 [0·11-0·26]), suicidal ideation (RR 1·70 [1·28-2·26]), conduct disorder (SMD 0·16 [0·04-0·28]), substance use (RR 1·24 [1·00-1·52]), wasting (RR 1·13 [1·02-1·24]) and stunting (RR 1·12 [1·00-1·26]). No differences were identified between left-behind children and children of non-migrants for other nutrition outcomes, unintentional injury, abuse, or diarrhoea. No studies reported outcomes for other infectious diseases, self-harm, unprotected sex, or early pregnancy. Study quality varied across the included studies, with 43% of studies at high or unclear risk of bias across five or more domains. INTERPRETATION: Parental migration is detrimental to the health of left-behind children and adolescents, with no evidence of any benefit. Policy makers and health-care professionals need to take action to improve the health of these young people. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust

Synthesis and catalysis of chemically reduced metal–metalloid amorphous alloys

This is the published version. Copyright 2012 Royal Society of ChemistryAmorphous alloys structurally deviate from crystalline materials in that they possess unique short-range ordered and long-range disordered atomic arrangement. They are important catalytic materials due to their unique chemical and structural properties including broadly adjustable composition, structural homogeneity, and high concentration of coordinatively unsaturated sites. As chemically reduced metal–metalloid amorphous alloys exhibit excellent catalytic performance in applications such as efficient chemical production, energy conversion, and environmental remediation, there is an intense surge in interest in using them as catalytic materials. This critical review summarizes the progress in the study of the metal–metalloid amorphous alloy catalysts, mainly in recent decades, with special focus on their synthetic strategies and catalytic applications in petrochemical, fine chemical, energy, and environmental relevant reactions. The review is intended to be a valuable resource to researchers interested in these exciting catalytic materials. We concluded the review with some perspectives on the challenges and opportunities about the future developments of metal–metalloid amorphous alloy catalysts