The development, status and trends of recommender systems: a comprehensive and critical literature review

Recommender systems have been used in many fields of research and business applications. In this paper, a comprehensive and critical review of the literature on recommender systems is provided. A classification mechanism of recommender systems is proposed. The review pays attention to and covers the recommender system algorithms, application areas and data mining techniques published in relevant peer-reviewed journals between 2001 and 2013. The development of the field, status and trends are analyzed and discussed in the paper

A framework for extracting and representing project knowledge contexts using topic models and dynamic knowledge maps

There is still a lack of effective paradigms and tools for analysing and discovering the contents and relationships of project knowledge contexts in the field of project management. In this paper, a new framework for extracting and representing project knowledge contexts using topic models and dynamic knowledge maps under big data environments is proposed and developed. The conceptual paradigm, theoretical underpinning, extended topic model, and illustration examples of the ontology model for project knowledge maps are presented, with further research work envisaged

Effective Recruitment and Selection Procedures: an Analytical Study Based on Public Sector Universities of Pakistan

The focus of this study was mainly to analyze the effectiveness of the fair recruitment and selection procedures in the public sector universities of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan. The careful attention was given in data collection and was collected through personally administered questionnaire from heads of the teaching department who are actually operating academic departments and are a vital part of recruitment and selection. Data was analyzed through SPSS by applying regression analysis and some needed descriptive statistics. The study found that organizational politics and line management have the greater influence on the effectiveness of fair recruitment and selection procedures. Secondly, fairness of recruitment and selection procedures proved interconnected and interrelated. Finally, based on the discussion in detail, the authors have jotted down brief conclusion and recommendations followed by future directions, which authors believe will not only help the researchers to conduct future research but also practitioners in the relevant recruitment and selection section can take the benefits from this research. Keywords: Organizational Politics, Line and HR Management, Selection effectivenes

Knockout of the S-acyltransferase Gene, PbPAT14, Confers the Dwarf Yellowing Phenotype in First Generation Pear by ABA Accumulation.

The development of dwarf fruit trees with smaller and compact characteristics leads to significantly increased fruit production, which is a major objective of pear (Pyrus bretschneideri) breeding. We identified the S-acylation activity of PbPAT14, an S-acyltransferase gene related to plant development, using a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) complementation assay, and also PbPAT14 could rescue the growth defect of the Arabidopsis mutant atpat14. We further studied the function of PbPAT14 by designing three guide RNAs for PbPAT14 to use in the CRISPR/Cas9 system. We obtained 22 positive transgenic pear lines via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using cotyledons from seeds of Pyrus betulifolia ('Duli'). Six of these lines exhibited the dwarf yellowing phenotype and were homozygous mutations according to sequencing analysis. Ultrastructure analysis suggested that this dwarfism was manifested by shorter, thinner stems due to a reduction in cell number. A higher level of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and a higher transcript level of the ABA pathway genes in the mutant lines revealed that the PbPAT14 function was related to the ABA pathway. Overall, our experimental results increase the understanding of how PATs function in plants and help elucidate the mechanism of plant dwarfism

Research progress of abnormal lactate metabolism and lactate modification in immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

Tumors meet their energy, biosynthesis, and redox demands through metabolic reprogramming. This metabolic abnormality results in elevated levels of metabolites, particularly lactate, in the tumor microenvironment. Immune cell reprogramming and cellular plasticity mediated by lactate and lactylation increase immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment and are emerging as key factors in regulating tumor development, metastasis, and the effectiveness of immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors. Reprogramming of glucose metabolism and the “Warburg effect” in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lead to the massive production and accumulation of lactate, so lactate modification in tumor tissue is likely to be abnormal as well. This article reviews the immune regulation of abnormal lactate metabolism and lactate modification in hepatocellular carcinoma and the therapeutic strategy of targeting lactate-immunotherapy, which will help to better guide the medication and treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Effect of a Traditional Chinese Medicine combined therapy on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a randomized controlled trial

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of a combined Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapy versus conventional treatment on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.MethodsOne hundred twenty outpatients with mild and moderate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were randomly divided into a TCM group (TCMG) and a brace group (CG). TCMG patients underwent Daoyin, Tuina, and acupotomology therapies. CG patients were treated with a Milwaukee brace. Each patient's Cobb angle was measured after 12 and 24 months of treatment, and pulmonary function was determined after 12 months of treatment. Average electromyogram (AEMG) ratio of the surface electromyogram was measured after 6 and 12 months of treatment and followed-up after 18 and 24 months.ResultsThe Cobb angle significantly decreased in both groups after 12 months of treatment compared with before treatment (P < 0.05). The percentages of original Cobb angle in TCMG and CG were 51.4% and 47.8% (P > 0.05) after 12 months and 62.5% and 34.7% (P < 0.05) after 24 months, respectively. Pulmonary function significantly improved after 12 months in TCMG (P < 0.05) but significantly decreased in CG (P < 0.05). The AEMG ratio was significantly lower (P < 0.01) and tended to remain at 1 after stopping treatment in TCMG, but increased in CG (P < 0.05).ConclusionTCM combined therapy can prevent the progression of scoliosis. The AEMG ratio is a promising index that could replace radiography in the evaluation of treatment effect and progression in scoliosis