A Projection-Type Method for Multivalued Variational Inequality

We propose a projection-type method for multivalued variational inequality. The iteration sequence generated by the algorithm is proven to be globally convergent to a solution, provided that the multivalued mapping is continuous with nonempty compact convex values. Moreover, we present a necessary and sufficient condition on the nonemptiness of the solution set. Preliminary computational experience is also reported

Human Circulating MicroRNA-1 and MicroRNA-126 as Potential Novel Indicators for Acute Myocardial Infarction

Circulating miRNAs have been shown as promising biomarkers for various pathologic conditions. The aim of this study was to clarify that circulating miR-1 and miR-126 in human plasma might be useful as biomarkers in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In our study, after pre-test, two candidate miRNAs were detected by using real-time RT-PCR. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations were measured by ELISA assay in plasma from patients with AMI (n=17) and healthy subjects (n=25), simultaneously. Increased miR-1 and decreased miR-126 in plasma from patients with AMI after the onset of symptoms compared with healthy subjects were found. A remarkable finding in this study is that miR-1, miR-126 and cTnI expression levels exhibited the same trend. Our results suggest that the plasma concentrations of miR-1 and miR-126 may be useful indicators for AMI

Identification and Validation of an Immune-Related eRNA Prognostic Signature for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BackgroundEnhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are intergenic long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that participate in the progression of malignancies by targeting tumor-related genes and immune checkpoints. However, the potential role of eRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. In this study, we aimed to construct an immune-related eRNA prognostic model that could be used to prospectively assess the prognosis of patients with HCC.MethodsGene expression profiles of patients with HCC were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The eRNAs co-expressed from immune genes were identified as immune-related eRNAs. Cox regression analyses were applied in a training cohort to construct an immune-related eRNA signature (IReRS), that was subsequently used to analyze a testing cohort and combination of the two cohorts. Kaplan-Meier and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to validate the predictive effect in the three cohorts. Gene Set Enrishment Analysis (GSEA) computation was used to identify an IReRS-related signaling pathway. A web-based cell type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) computation was used to evaluate the relationship between the IReRS and infiltrating immune cells.ResultsA total of sixty-four immune-related eRNAs (IReRNAs) was identified in HCC, and 14 IReRNAs were associated with overall survival (OS). Five IReRNAs were used for constructing an immune-related eRNA signature (IReRS), which was shown to correlate with poor survival and to be an independent prognostic biomarker for HCC. The GSEA results showed that the IReRS was correlated to cancer-related and immune-related pathways. Moreover, we found that IReRS was correlated to infiltrating immune cells, including CD8+ T cells and M0 macrophages. Finally, differential expressions of the five risk IReRNAs in tumor tissues vs. adjacent normal tissues and their prognostic values were verified, in which the AL445524.1 may function as an oncogene that affects prognosis partly by regulating CD4-CLTA4 related genes.ConclusionOur results suggest that the IReRS could serve as a biomarker for predicting prognosis in patients with HCC. Additionally, it may be correlated to the tumor immune microenvironment and could also be used as a biomarker in immunotherapy for HCC

Alumni Network Centrality and Competitive Aggressiveness

This paper examines the role of external resources and information advantages embedded in a firm's alumni network in the adoption of aggressive competitive strategies. We extend the competitive dynamics literature and social network theory by analysing the effect that the acquisition of external resources and information advantage has on corporate competitive strategy. We hypothesize that more central firms in alumni networks are associated with more aggressive competitive actions and better performance. We introduce extensive data from China and find strong support for our central hypothesis. Further, the data indicate that the effect is stronger in firms with high product market competition, high input–output network centrality, and during periods of high economic policy uncertainty. The results are robust to several endogeneity tests

Programming emergent symmetries with saddle-splay elasticity

The director field adopted by a confined liquid crystal is controlled by a balance between the externally imposed interactions and the liquid’s internal orientational elasticity. While the latter is usually considered to resist all deformations, liquid crystals actually have an intrinsic propensity to adopt saddle-splay arrangements, characterised by the elastic constant K24. In most realisations, dominant surface anchoring treatments suppress such deformations, rendering K24 immeasurable. Here we identify regimes where more subtle, patterned surfaces enable saddle-splay effects to be both observed and exploited. Utilising theory and continuum calculations, we determine experimental regimes where generic, achiral liquid crystals exhibit spontaneously broken surface symmetries. These provide a new route to measuring K24. We further demonstrate a multistable device in which weak, but directional, fields switch between saddle-splay-motivated, spontaneously-polar surface states. Generalising beyond simple confinement, our highly scalable approach offers exciting opportunities for low-field, fast-switching optoelectronic devices which go beyond current technologies

Comparative Studies on Microbial Community Structure and Production Performance of Jiang-Flavor Daqu in Different Areas of Maotai Town

The microbial community structure and diversity of Jiang-flavor Daqu (TS, WS, WM, MH and DJ) from different areas of Maotai town were analyzed by using the third-generation nanopore sequencing platform, and its physicochemical indexes and characteristic flavor substances were measured. The results showed that there were some similarities and differences between Daqu in different areas of Maotai town. In terms of microbial community structure, Bacillus, Saccharopolyspora, Weissella, Staphylococcus and Streptomyces were the common dominant bacterial genera in the five Daqu samples. Among them, Bacillus was the absolute dominant bacteria in MH and DJ. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the common dominant fungal genera, and the proportions of Lichtheimia and Saccharomycopsis in TS, WM and MH were significantly higher than those in DJ and WS. Compared with TS and WM, network correlation analysis showed that MH, DJ and WS had stronger interactions among dominant bacteria. In addition, redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that Weissella was positively correlated with esterification power, liquefaction power, saccharification power, acetic acid, ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate and n-pentanol. Lichtheimia was positively correlated with liquefaction power, saccharification power, acetic acid, isovaleric acid, 2,3-butanediol, phenylacetaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate. Saccharomycopsis was positively correlated with esterification power and ethyl acetate. Bacillus was positively correlated with 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine, propionic acid, isovaleric acid, dibutyl phthalate, 2,3-butanediol and phenacetaldehyde

DOK7V1 influences the malignant phenotype of lung cancer cells through PI3K/AKT/mTOR and FAK/paxillin signaling pathways

Downstream of tyrosine kinase 7 transcript variant 1 (DOK7V1) is a docking protein mediating signal transduction between receptors and intracellular downstream molecules. Our previous study indicated that DOK7V1 was decreased in lung cancer and its lower expression was associated with a decreased survival rate. The 5‑year overall survival rate for patients with lung cancer was 20.2 and 18.6% for high and low DOK7 expression, respectively; the 5‑year disease‑free survival rate for patients with lung cancer was 14.3 and 16.9% for high and low DOK7 expression, respectively. DOK7V1 inhibited proliferation and migration, but enhanced adhesion, of lung cancer cells. In the present study, the effect of DOK7V1 and its domains [pleckstrin homology (PH) and phosphotyrosine‑binding (PTB) domain] on the malignant phenotype and associated signaling pathway in lung cancer cells was investigated. The results indicated that truncation of DOK7V1 domains (DOK7V1Δ‑PH and DOK7V1Δ‑PTB) inhibited the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells which exhibited the same trend as DOK7V1, whereas DOK7V1Δ‑PH and DOK7V1Δ‑PTB exhibited different functions from those of DOK7V1 in cell matrix adhesion. Consistently, DOK7V1 overexpression in lung cancer cells suppressed the phosphoinositide 3‑kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways, but activated the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/paxillin signaling pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that DOK7V1 may inhibit proliferation and migration via negatively regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, and increase adhesion by upregulating the FAK/paxillin signaling pathway in lung cancer cells