Modeling of Nonlinear Aggregation for Information Fusion Systems with Outliers Based on the Choquet Integral

Modern information fusion systems essentially associate decision-making processes with multi-sensor systems. Precise decision-making processes depend upon aggregating useful information extracted from large numbers of messages or large datasets; meanwhile, the distributed multi-sensor systems which employ several geographically separated local sensors are required to provide sufficient messages or data with similar and/or dissimilar characteristics. These kinds of information fusion techniques have been widely investigated and used for implementing several information retrieval systems. However, the results obtained from the information fusion systems vary in different situations and performing intelligent aggregation and fusion of information from a distributed multi-source, multi-sensor network is essentially an optimization problem. A flexible and versatile framework which is able to solve complex global optimization problems is a valuable alternative to traditional information fusion. Furthermore, because of the highly dynamic and volatile nature of the information flow, a swift soft computing technique is imperative to satisfy the demands and challenges. In this paper, a nonlinear aggregation based on the Choquet integral (NACI) model is considered for information fusion systems that include outliers under inherent interaction among feature attributes. The estimation of interaction coefficients for the proposed model is also performed via a modified algorithm based on particle swarm optimization with quantum-behavior (QPSO) and the high breakdown value estimator, least trimmed squares (LTS). From simulation results, the proposed MQPSO algorithm with LTS (named LTS-MQPSO) readily corrects the deviations caused by outliers and swiftly achieves convergence in estimating the parameters of the proposed NACI model for the information fusion systems with outliers

High yield expression in a recombinant E. coli of a codon optimized chicken anemia virus capsid protein VP1 useful for vaccine development

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chicken anemia virus (CAV), the causative agent chicken anemia, is the only member of the genus <it>Gyrovirus </it>of the <it>Circoviridae </it>family. CAV is an immune suppressive virus and causes anemia, lymph organ atrophy and immunodeficiency. The production and biochemical characterization of VP1 protein and its use in a subunit vaccine or as part of a diagnostic kit would be useful to CAV infection prevention.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Significantly increased expression of the recombinant full-length VP1 capsid protein from chicken anemia virus was demonstrated using an <it>E. coli </it>expression system. The VP1 gene was cloned into various different expression vectors and then these were expressed in a number of different <it>E. coli </it>strains. The expression of CAV VP1 in <it>E. coli </it>was significantly increased when VP1 was fused with GST protein rather than a His-tag. By optimizing the various rare amino acid codons within the N-terminus of the VP1 protein, the expression level of the VP1 protein in <it>E. coli </it>BL21(DE3)-pLysS was further increased significantly. The highest protein expression level obtained was 17.5 g/L per liter of bacterial culture after induction with 0.1 mM IPTG for 2 h. After purification by GST affinity chromatography, the purified full-length VP1 protein produced in this way was demonstrated to have good antigenicity and was able to be recognized by CAV-positive chicken serum in an ELISA assay.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Purified recombinant VP1 protein with the gene's codons optimized in the N-terminal region has potential as chimeric protein that, when expressed in <it>E. coli</it>, may be useful in the future for the development of subunit vaccines and diagnostic tests.</p

Polyketide Synthase Gene Expression in Relation to Chloromonilicin and Melanin Production in Monilinia fructicola

Monilinia fructicolais a fungal pathogen of worldwide significancethat causes brown rot of stone fruits. There are only few reports related tothe production of biologically active polyketides by this pathogen. In thisstudy, we examined an atypicalM. fructicolastrain TW5-4 that showsstrong antimicrobial activity against various plant pathogens. TW5-4 alsodisplays sparse growth in culture, low virulence, and higher levels ofmelanin compared with its albino mutant, TW5-4WM, and a wild-typestrain Mf13-81. Antifungal compounds were extracted from TW5-4 andpurified by thin-layer chromatography following visualization with an on-the-chromatogram inhibition assay. The principal antifungal compoundwas identified by linear ion trap mass spectrometry, high-resolutionelectro-spray ionization mass spectrometry, and proton nuclear mag-netic resonance analyses as the polyketide chloromonilicin. MultipleM. fructicolapolyketide synthase (PKS) sequences were then cloned bydegenerate PCR and inverse PCR. Sequence analyses support presence ofa 10-member PKS gene family in theM. fructicolagenome. Analyses ofPKS gene expression found no strong correlation between chloromoni-licin production in culture and transcript levels of any of the PKS genefamily members in mycelium of strains TW5-4, TW5-4WM, and Mf13-81. However,MfPKS12, a homolog ofBcPKS12involved in biosynthesisof 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN)-melanin inBotrytis cinerea, wasstrongly expressed in mycelia of TW5-4 and Mf13-81. AnMfPKS12-silenced mutant accumulated significantly less melanin in mycelia, hadlower resistance to polyethylene glycol-induced osmotic stress, anddisplayed reduced virulence on nectarine fruit. The results suggest thatDHN-melanin is required for tolerance to osmotic stress and fullvirulence inM. fructicola

Common Genetic Variants in Wnt Signaling Pathway Genes as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer

<div><p>Compelling evidence has implicated the Wnt signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. We assessed the use of tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) in <em>adenomatous polyposis coli</em> (<em>APC</em>)/<em>β-catenin</em> (<em>CTNNB1</em>) genes to predict outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer. We selected and genotyped 10 tSNP to predict common variants across entire <em>APC</em> and <em>CTNNB1</em> genes in 282 colorectal cancer patients. The associations of these tSNPs with distant metastasis-free survival and overall survival were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression model, and survival tree analysis. The 5-year overall survival rate was 68.3%. Survival tree analysis identified a higher-order genetic interaction profile consisting of the <em>APC</em> rs565453, <em>CTNNB1</em> 2293303, and <em>APC</em> rs1816769 that was significantly associated with overall survival. The 5-year survival overall rates were 89.2%, 66.1%, and 58.8% for the low-, medium-, and high-risk genetic profiles, respectively (log-rank <em>P</em> = 0.001). After adjusting for possible confounders, including age, gender, carcinoembryonic antigen levels, tumor differentiation, stage, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and lymph node involvement, the genetic interaction profile remained significant. None of the studied SNPs were individually associated with distant metastasis-free survival and overall survival. Our results suggest that the genetic interaction profile among Wnt pathway SNPs might potentially increase the prognostic value in outcome prediction for colorectal cancer.</p> </div

Cox proportional hazards analysis of factors associated with overall survival.

<p>Abbreviations: CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; HR, hazard ratio; CI, confidence interval.</p>*<p>Age, gender, CEA levels, tumor differentiation, stage, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, lymph node involvement, and genetic risk classification by Wnt pathway gene polymorphisms were included in the multivariate analysis.</p><p><i>P</i><0.05 are in boldface.</p

Potential higher order SNP-SNP interactions among Wnt pathway gene polymorphisms.

<p>(A) Survival tree analysis identifies the interactions among the three polymorphisms. (B) Kaplan-Meier curves of overall survival based on the survival tree analysis. Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of patients.</p

Demographic and clinical characteristics of colorectal cancer patients.

<p>Abbreviations: CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen; IQR, interquartile range.</p>*<p>Column subtotals do not sum to n of patients and n of events due to missing data.</p>†<p><i>P</i> values were calculated using the log-rank test.</p>‡<p>According to the American Joint Committee on Cancer - Cancer Staging Manual (version 6.0).</p><p><i>P</i><0.05 are in boldface.</p