Bayesian Variable Selection in High-dimensional Applications

__Abstract__ Advances in research technologies over the past few decades have encouraged the proliferation of massive datasets, revolutionizing statistical perspectives on high-dimensionality. Highthroughput technologies have become pervasive in diverse scientific disciplines and continued to generate data of increasingly complex phenomena, altering the course of statistical developments both in methodology and theory. A major focus of the intensive methodological research has centered around variable selection, which has become fundamental to knowledge extraction from such challenging data. The problem of variable selection refers to the statistical endeavor of selecting a subset of observed characteristics, which collectively provide a good description of an observed phenomenon. Of particular interest are settings where such a subset is parsimonious

Mutations in ASXL1 are associated with poor prognosis across the spectrum of malignant myeloid diseases

The ASXL1 gene is one of the most frequently mutated genes in malignant myeloid diseases. The ASXL1 protein belongs to protein complexes involved in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. ASXL1 mutations are found in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). They are generally associated with signs of aggressiveness and poor clinical outcome. Because of this, a systematic determination of ASXL1 mutational status in myeloid malignancies should help in prognosis assessment

Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics

In December 2016, a panel of experts in microbiology, nutrition and clinical research was convened by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics to review the definition and scope of prebiotics. Consistent with the original embodiment of prebiotics, but aware of the latest scientific and clinical developments, the panel updated the definition of a prebiotic: a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit. This definition expands the concept of prebiotics to possibly include non-carbohydrate substances, applications to body sites other than the gastrointestinal tract, and diverse categories other than food. The requirement for selective microbiota-mediated mechanisms was retained. Beneficial health effects must be documented for a substance to be considered a prebiotic. The consensus definition applies also to prebiotics for use by animals, in which microbiota-focused strategies to maintain health and prevent disease is as relevant as for humans. Ultimately, the goal of this Consensus Statement is to engender appropriate use of the term ‘prebiotic’ by relevant stakeholders so that consistency and clarity can be achieved in research reports, product marketing and regulatory oversight of the category. To this end, we have reviewed several aspects of prebiotic science including its development, health benefits and legislation

Grundlagen der Positionsbestimmung.

Loesung der Navigationsgleichung, Berechnung der fuer die Messgenauigkeit massgebenden Geometriefaktoren (GDOP)

Blood monocytes in type 2 diabetes have an altered microRNA profile

Nephrolog

Alloscardovia macacae sp. nov., isolated from the milk of a macaque (Macaca mulatta), emended description of the genus Alloscardovia and proposal of Alloscardovia criceti comb. nov.

A novel bacterial strain, designated M8T, was isolated from milk of a female macaque bred in captivity. The strain was Gram-stain-positive, anaerobic, irregular coccoid–rod-shaped without catalase activity. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity revealed that the isolate was most closely related to Alloscardovia omnicolens CCUG 31649T (96.4 %) and Metascardovia criceti OMB105T (96.6 %). Sequences of hsp60, fusA, and xfp genes also confirmed that the strain was most closely related to the type strains of A. omnicolens and M. criceti . The isolate produced fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase which is in agreement with classification within the family Bifidobacteriaceae . The major fatty acids were C18 : 1ω9c (35.8 %), C16 : 1 (6.2 %) and C14 : 0 (5.7 %). Polar lipid analysis revealed five different glycolipids, two unidentified phospholipids and diphosphatidylglycerol. The peptidoglycan was of the type A4α l-Lys–d-Asp with the presence of d(l)-alanine, d-glutamine, d-asparagine and l-lysine. The DNA G+C content of strain M8T was 50.1 mol%. On the basis of genetic, phylogenetic and phenotypic data, strain M8T represents a novel species of the genus Alloscardovia for which the name Alloscardovia macacae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M8T ( = DSM 24762T = CCM 7944T). In addition, our results also revealed that Alloscardovia omnicolens DSM 21503T and Metascardovia criceti DSM 17774T do not belong to different genera within the family Bifidobacteriaceae . We therefore propose to reclassify Metascardovia criceti as Alloscardovia criceti comb. nov. An emended description of the genus Alloscardovia is also provided

Risk stratification of intermediate-risk acute myeloid leukemia: Integrative analysis of a multitude of gene mutation and gene expression markers

Numerous molecular markers have been recently discovered as potential prognostic factors in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It has become of critical importance to thoroughly evaluate their interrelationships and relative prognostic importance. Gene expression profiling was conducted in a well-characterized cohort of 439 AML patients (age < 60 years) to determine expression levels of EVI1, WT1, BCL2, ABCB1, BAALC, FLT3, CD34, INDO, ERG and MN1. A variety of AML-specific mutations were evaluated, that is, FLT3, NPM1, N-RAS, K-RAS, IDH1, IDH2, and CEBPADM/SM(double/single). Univariable survival analysis shows that (1) patients with FLT3ITDmutations have inferior overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS), whereas CEBPADMand NPM1 mutations indicate favorable OS and EFS in intermediate-risk AML, and (2) high transcript levels of BAALC, CD34, MN1, EVl1, and ERG predict inferior OS and EFS. In multivariable survival analysis, CD34, ERG, and CEBPADMremain significant. Using survival tree and regression methodologies, we show that CEBPADM, CD34, and IDH2 mutations are capable of separating the intermediate group into 2 AML subgroups with highly distinctive survival characteristics (OS at 60 months: 51.9% vs 14.9%). The integrated statistical approach demonstrates that from the multitude of biomarkers a greatly condensed subset can be selected for improved stratification of intermediate-risk AML