An Extended Result on the Optimal Estimation under Minimum Error Entropy Criterion

The minimum error entropy (MEE) criterion has been successfully used in fields such as parameter estimation, system identification and the supervised machine learning. There is in general no explicit expression for the optimal MEE estimate unless some constraints on the conditional distribution are imposed. A recent paper has proved that if the conditional density is conditionally symmetric and unimodal (CSUM), then the optimal MEE estimate (with Shannon entropy) equals the conditional median. In this study, we extend this result to the generalized MEE estimation where the optimality criterion is the Renyi entropy or equivalently, the \alpha-order information potential (IP).Comment: 15 pages, no figures, submitted to Entrop

Local Sensitivity Analysis of Forecast Uncertainty in a Random-Utility-Based Multiregional Input-Output Model

Transportation systems are critical to regional economies and quality of life. The Random-Utility-Based Multiregional Input-Output Model (RUBMRIO) for trade and travel choices is used here to appreciate the distributed nature of commodity flow patterns across the United States’ 3,109 contiguous counties and 12 industry sectors, for rail and truck operations. This paper demonstrates the model’s sensitivity to various inputs using the method of local sensitivity analysis with interactions (LSAI). This work simulates both individual effects as well as interaction effects of model inputs on outputs by providing sensitivity indices of model outputs to variations of inputs under two scenarios. Model outputs include predictions of domestic and export trade flows, value of goods produced, labor expenditures, and household and industry consumption levels across the counties in the United States. The LSAI technique allows transportation system operators to appreciate the roles of any model input and the associated uncertainty of outputs

STAT3 inhibitor enhances chemotherapy drug efficacy by modulating mucin 1 expression in non-small cell lung carcinoma

Purpose: To evaluate the role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and mucin 1(MUC1) in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and the use of their inhibitors to reduce chemoresistance.Methods: Cisplatin or vinblastine was provided either with or without STAT3 inhibitor and evaluated for chemoresistance in NSCLC cells and a xenograft mice tumor model. Immunohistochemistry and Kaplan-Meier method of survival analysis were used to determine chemoresistance trends in patients. STAT3 inhibitor treatment, RNAi or ectopic overexpression of STAT3 or MUC1 in NSCLC cells were used to determine their inter-molecular relation and for modulating stemness-related genes.Results: A major subset of chemoresistance patients exhibited a combined aberration of both STAT3 and MUC1 and exhibited a significantly reduced median overall survival (p = 0.008). Subsequent in vitro experiments in NSCLC cells showed that STAT3 levels modulate MUC1 expression (p < 0.01) and increase stemness gene expressions such as AKT (3-fold), OCT4 (4-fold), SOX2 (2-fold) and CXCR4 levels (2 -fold). In addition, co-treatment of STAT3 inhibitor with cisplatin or vinblastine enhanced drug efficiency in viability and invasion assays (p < 0.01) and in a xenograft mouse model (p < 0.05).Conclusion: STAT3 inhibitor co-treatment with chemotherapy drugs increases drug efficacy and reduced tumor growth, and therefore, may improve outcomes in patients on NSCLC chemotherapies.Keywords: STAT3, Non-small cell lung carcinoma, Mucin 1, Chemoresistance, Chemotherap

An MPCC Formulation and Its Smooth Solution Algorithm for Continuous Network Design Problem

Continuous network design problem (CNDP) is searching for a transportation network configuration to minimize the sum of the total system travel time and the investment cost of link capacity expansions by considering that the travellers follow a traditional Wardrop user equilibrium (UE) to choose their routes. In this paper, the CNDP model can be formulated as mathematical programs with complementarity constraints (MPCC) by describing UE as a non-linear complementarity problem (NCP). To address the difficulty resulting from complementarity constraints in MPCC, they are substituted by the Fischer-Burmeister (FB) function, which can be smoothed by the introduction of the smoothing parameter. Therefore, the MPCC can be transformed into a well-behaved non-linear program (NLP) by replacing the complementarity constraints with a smooth equation. Consequently, the solver such as LINDOGLOBAL in GAMS can be used to solve the smooth approximate NLP to obtain the solution to MPCC for modelling CNDP. The numerical experiments on the example from the literature demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is feasible.</p

An MPCC Formulation and Its Smooth Solution Algorithm for Continuous Network Design Problem

Continuous network design problem (CNDP) is searching for a transportation network configuration to minimize the sum of the total system travel time and the investment cost of link capacity expansions by considering that the travellers follow a traditional Wardrop user equilibrium (UE) to choose their routes. In this paper, the CNDP model can be formulated as mathematical programs with complementarity constraints (MPCC) by describing UE as a non-linear complementarity problem (NCP). To address the difficulty resulting from complementarity constraints in MPCC, they are substituted by the Fischer-Burmeister (FB) function, which can be smoothed by the introduction of the smoothing parameter. Therefore, the MPCC can be transformed into a well-behaved non-linear program (NLP) by replacing the complementarity constraints with a smooth equation. Consequently, the solver such as LINDOGLOBAL in GAMS can be used to solve the smooth approximate NLP to obtain the solution to MPCC for modelling CNDP. The numerical experiments on the example from the literature demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is feasible.</p

Synonymous codon usage bias is correlative to intron number and shows disequilibrium among exons in plants

Background: Evidence has been assembled to suggest synonymous codon usage bias (SCUB) has close relationship with intron. However, the relationship (if any) between SCUB and intron number as well as exon position is at present rather unclear. Results: To explore this relationship, the sequences of a set of genes containing between zero and nine introns was extracted from the published genome sequences of three algal species, one moss, one fern and six angiosperms (three monocotyledonous species and three dicotyledonous species). In the algal genomes, the frequency of synonymous codons of the form NNG/NNC (codons with G and C at the third position) was positively related to intron number, but that of NNA/NNT was inversely correlated; the opposite was the case in the land plant genomes. The frequency of NNC/NNG was higher and that of NNA/NNT lower in two terminal exons than in the interstitial exons in the land plant genes, but the rule showed to be opposite in the algal genes. SCUB patterns in the interstitial and two terminal exons mirror the different evolutionary relationships between these plant species, while the first exon shows the highest level of conservation is therefore concluded to be the one which experiences the heaviest selection pressure. The phenomenon of SCUB may also be related to DNA methylation induced conversion of CG to AT. Conclusions: These data provide some evidence of linkage between SCUB, the evolution of introns and DNA methylation, which brings about a new perspective for understanding how genomic variation is created during plant evolution

Electrotunable liquid sulfur microdroplets.

Manipulating liquids with tunable shape and optical functionalities in real time is important for electroactive flow devices and optoelectronic devices, but remains a great challenge. Here, we demonstrate electrotunable liquid sulfur microdroplets in an electrochemical cell. We observe electrowetting and merging of sulfur droplets under different potentiostatic conditions, and successfully control these processes via selective design of sulfiphilic/sulfiphobic substrates. Moreover, we employ the electrowetting phenomena to create a microlens based on the liquid sulfur microdroplets and tune its characteristics in real time through changing the shape of the liquid microdroplets in a fast, repeatable, and controlled manner. These studies demonstrate a powerful in situ optical battery platform for unraveling the complex reaction mechanism of sulfur chemistries and for exploring the rich material properties of the liquid sulfur, which shed light on the applications of liquid sulfur droplets in devices such as microlenses, and potentially other electrotunable and optoelectronic devices

Asymmetric Somatic Hybridization Affects Synonymous Codon Usage Bias in Wheat

Asymmetric somatic hybridization is an efficient strategy for crop breeding by introducing exogenous chromatin fragments, which leads to whole genomic shock and local chromosomal shock that induces genome-wide genetic variation including indel (insertion and deletion) and nucleotide substitution. Nucleotide substitution causes synonymous codon usage bias (SCUB), an indicator of genomic mutation and natural selection. However, how asymmetric somatic hybridization affects SCUB has not been addressed. Here, we explored this issue by comparing expressed sequence tags of a common wheat cultivar and its asymmetric somatic hybrid line. Asymmetric somatic hybridization affected SCUB and promoted the bias to A- and T-ending synonymous codon (SCs). SCUB frequencies in chromosomes introgressed with exogenous fragments were comparable to those in chromosomes without exogenous fragments, showing that exogenous fragments had no local chromosomal effect. Asymmetric somatic hybridization affected SCUB frequencies in indel-flanking sequences more strongly than in non-flanking sequences, and this stronger effect was present in both chromosomes with and without exogenous fragments. DNA methylation-driven SCUB shift was more pronounced than other SC pairs. SCUB shift was similar among seven groups of allelic chromosomes as well as three sub-genomes. Our work demonstrates that the SCUB shift induced by asymmetric somatic hybridization is attributed to the whole genomic shock, and DNA methylation is a putative force of SCUB shift during asymmetric somatic hybridization. Asymmetric somatic hybridization provides an available method for deepening the nature of SCUB shift and genetic variation induced by genomic shock