A protocol for constructing a domain-specific ontology for use in biomedical information extraction using lexical-chaining analysis

In order to do more semantics-based information extraction, we require specialized domain models. We develop a hybrid approach for constructing such a domain-specific ontology, which integrates key concepts from the protein-protein–interaction domain with the Gene Ontology. In addition, we present a method for using the domain-specific ontology in a discourse-based analysis module for analyzing full-text articles on protein interactions. The analysis module uses a lexical chaining technique to extract strings of semantically related words that represent the topic structure of the text. We show that the domain-specific ontology improved the performance of the lexical-chaining module. As well the topic structure as represented by the lexical chains contains important information on protein-protein interactions appearing in the same textual context

A comparative study of UK and Chinese adolescents' perceptions of digital reading

This research examines adolescents’ perceptions of digital reading in the UK and China on the basis of their print and digital literacy practices in school and in out-of-school settings. The comparative perspective employed in this research helps to provide deep insights into the nature of reading literacy and literacy in the changing social and cultural contexts. A mixed methodological approach was employed to investigate how the students interpret digital reading. Multiple methods were chosen, including focus groups, a survey and in-depth individual interviews. Eight focus groups were conducted as a preliminary stage. The result of focus groups and the existing literature review helped to lay the foundation for the design of the subsequent questionnaire. 798 valid questionnaires in total were collected. Deeper insights into students’ perceptions were gleaned through the individual interviews. The three data collection methods therefore enabled both a breadth of evidence to be collected, in addition to an in-depth analysis of the views of a smaller number of students. The findings suggest that both the UK and Chinese students shared similar expanded notions of reading, which confirmed that reading is more than the ability to decode printed texts in relatively fixed space. All the students in this study claimed to use both printed and digital texts. However, the Chinese students were found to be in a more paper-based reading environment and they had more subject-based practices of reading. The students’ preferences for certain text formats were influenced by various factors and their choices of text formats were dependent on the nature of certain texts and reading purposes. The gender gaps of reading among the UK students were found to be larger than among their Chinese counterparts. Meanwhile, this study suggests that reading online is more complicated than print reading. A range of strategies that are unique to online reading comprehension are expected to deal with various challenges in order to have successful online reading comprehension. However, the findings suggest that the UK students might be more skilled in online reading than the Chinese students. According to the students’ claims, differences between the UK and Chinese students in terms of literacy practices, preferences for text formats, gender differences and online reading comprehension could be associated with the social and cultural situations. This research, as the first exploratory study which investigates adolescents’ perceptions of digital reading across the UK and China, has contributed substantial knowledge in an under-researched field. It enriches our understanding of the nature of literacy in different social and cultural contexts

Effects of anesthesia on conventional and speckle tracking echocardiographic parameters in a mouse model of pressure overload

Genetically‑modified mice are widely applied in cardiovascular studies as model organisms. Echocardiography is a key tool for evaluating cardiac and hemodynamic functions in mice. The present study aimed to examine the effects of isoflurane (ISF) on conventional and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) parameters under healthy and pathological conditions using a murine model of pressure overload. In addition, the optimal dose of ISF in the process of echocardiographic measurement, with minimum cardiac contraction depression, was investigated. Conventional echocardiographic and STE examinations were performed on 38 adult C57BL/6 male mice. The mice were divided into the following three groups: The sham (n=15); mild thoracic aortic banding (TAB; n=15); and severe TAB (n=8) groups. ISF was administered under deep anesthesia (DA; 1‑2% ISF), light anesthesia (LA; 0.5‑1% ISF) and immediately prior to the mice waking up (awake; 0‑0.5% ISF). Conventional echocardiographic parameters were preserved within the sham and mild TAB groups (P>0.05 for each parameter) under LA and awake conditions. However, under DA conditions, the majority of these parameters were reduced compared with the LA and awake conditions (P<0.05). In the severe TAB group, conventional echocardiographic parameters remained constant under LA, DA and awake conditions. STE parameters in the groups remained similar between the LA and awake conditions, but were significantly reduced under DA conditions. Therefore, conventional echocardiography and STE may be performed using LA induced with low doses of ISF, under various pathological conditions without affecting cardiac function

Using Lexical Chaining to Rank Protein-Protein Interactions in Biomedical Text

Abstract Biomedical information extraction is becoming an increasingly important application of Computational Linguistics research. We propose a method for analyzing full-text articles on protein interactions that takes a discourse-based approach to provide a means of ranking the biological validity of such interactions. Specifically, we use lexical chaining-strings of semantically related words-as an indicator of the validity of the protein interactions appearing in the same textual context

Electroacupuncture Regulates Pain Transition Through Inhibiting PKCε and TRPV1 Expression in Dorsal Root Ganglion

Many cases of acute pain can be resolved with few side effects. However, some cases of acute pain may persist beyond the time required for tissue injury recovery and transit to chronic pain, which is hard to treat. The mechanisms underlying pain transition are not entirely understood, and treatment strategies are lacking. In this study, the hyperalgesic priming model was established on rats to study pain transition by injection of carrageenan (Car) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). The expression levels of protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in the L4-L6 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were investigated. Electroacupuncture (EA) is a form of acupuncture in which a small electric current is passed between a pair of acupuncture needles. EA was administrated, and its effect on hyperalgesia and PKCε and TRPV1 expression was investigated. The PKCε-TRPV1 signaling pathway in DRG was implicated in the pain transition. EA increased the pain threshold of model animals and regulated the high expression of PKCε and TRPV1. Moreover, EA also regulated hyperalgesia and high TRPV1 expression induced by selective PKCε activation. We also found that EA partly increased chronic pain threshold, even though it was only administered between the Car and PGE2 injections. These findings suggested that EA could prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain by inhibiting the PKCε and TRPV1 expression in the peripheral nervous system

Specificity for the correlation between the body surface and viscera in the pathological state of COPD: A prospective, controlled, and assessor-blinded trial

Background: The association between the body surface and viscera remains obscure, but a better understanding of the body surface-viscera correlation will maximize its diagnostic and therapeutic values in clinical practice. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the specificity of body surface-viscera correlation in the pathological state.Methods: The study subjects included 40 participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the COPD group and 40 age-matched healthy participants in the healthy control group. Laser Doppler flowmetry, infrared thermography, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy were respectively adopted to measure 1) the perfusion unit (PU), 2) temperature, and 3) regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) of four specific sites distributed in the heart and lung meridians. These three outcome measures reflected the microcirculatory, thermal, and metabolic characteristics, respectively.Results: Regarding the microcirculatory and thermal characteristics of the body surface, the PU and temperature of specific sites on the body surface [i.e., Taiyuan (LU9) and Chize (LU5) in the lung meridian] in the COPD group were significantly increased compared with healthy controls (p &lt; 0.05), whereas PU and temperature of other sites in the heart meridian [i.e., Shenmen (HT7) and Shaohai (HT3)] did not change significantly (p &gt; 0.05). Regarding the metabolic characteristics, rSO2 of specific sites in the lung meridian [i.e., Taiyuan (LU9) and Chize (LU5)] and Shaohai (HT3) of the heart meridian in the COPD group was significantly decreased compared with healthy controls (p &lt; 0.01), whereas rSO2 of Shenmen (HT7) in the heart meridian did not change significantly (p &gt; 0.05).Conclusion: In the disease state of COPD, the microcirculatory, thermal, and metabolic characteristics of specific sites on the body surface in the lung meridian generally manifest more significant changes than those in the heart meridian, thereby supporting relative specificity for the body surface-viscera correlation in the pathological state

COMT, 5-HTR2A, and SLC6A4 mRNA Expressions in First-Episode Antipsychotic-Naïve Schizophrenia and Association With Treatment Outcomes

Background: Dopaminergic and serotonergic systems play crucial roles in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and modulate response to antipsychotic treatment. However, previous studies of dopaminergic and serotonergic genes expression are sparse, and their results have been inconsistent. In this longitudinal study, we aim to investigate the expressions of Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), serotonin 2A receptor (5-HTR2A), and serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) mRNA in first-episode antipsychotic-naïve schizophrenia and to test if these mRNA expressions are associated with cognitive deficits and treatment outcomes or not.Method: We measured COMT, 5-HTR2A, and SLC6A4 mRNA expressions in 45 drug-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients and 38 health controls at baseline, and repeated mRNA measurements in all patients at the 8-week follow up. Furthermore, we also assessed antipsychotic response and cognitive improvement after 8 weeks of risperidone monotherapy.Results: Patients were divided into responders (N = 20) and non-responders groups (N = 25) according to the Remission criteria of the Schizophrenia Working Group. Both patient groups have significantly higher COMT mRNA expression and lower SLC6A4 mRNA expression when compared with healthy controls. Interestingly, responder patients have significantly higher levels of COMT and 5-HTR2A mRNA expressions than non-responder patients at baseline. However, antipsychotic treatment has no significant effect on the expressions of COMT, 5-HTR2A, and SLC6A4 mRNA over 8-week follow up.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that dysregulated COMT and SLC6A4 mRNA expressions may implicate in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, and that COMT and 5-HTR2A mRNA may be potential biomarkers to predict antipsychotic response

Effect of polycarboxylate superplasticizer on fluidity and rheology of cement slurry containing silica fume

The effect of polycarboxylate superplasticizer on the fluidity and rheology of cement - silica fume - water paste was investigated. The changes of dispersion degree, yield stress and plastic viscosity of paste with different superplasticizer content were analyzed. The results show that the rheological properties of paste with different superplasticizer content conform to Herschel-Bulkley model. The shear thinning of the slurry is manifested as a typical yielding pseudoplastic fluid characteristic. When the content of superplasticizer is less than 1.0%, the plastic viscosity and yield stress decrease and the fluidity increase with the increase of plasticizer content. When the content of superplasticizer is more than 1.0%, the yield stress decreases slightly and the plastic viscosity increases with the increase of plasticizer content. The fluidity decreases with the increase of yield stress, and there is a good correlation between them