Network Topologies That Can Achieve Dual Function of Adaptation and Noise Attenuation.

Many signaling systems execute adaptation under circumstances that require noise attenuation. Here, we identify an intrinsic trade-off existing between sensitivity and noise attenuation in the three-node networks. We demonstrate that although fine-tuning timescales in three-node adaptive networks can partially mediate this trade-off in this context, it prolongs adaptation time and imposes unrealistic parameter constraints. By contrast, four-node networks can effectively decouple adaptation and noise attenuation to achieve dual function without a trade-off, provided that these functions are executed sequentially. We illustrate ideas in seven biological examples, including Dictyostelium discoideum chemotaxis and the p53 signaling network and find that adaptive networks are often associated with a noise attenuation module. Our approach may be applicable to finding network design principles for other dual and multiple functions

Noise control and utility: From regulatory network to spatial patterning

Stochasticity (or noise) at cellular and molecular levels has been observed extensively as a universal feature for living systems. However, how living systems deal with noise while performing desirable biological functions remains a major mystery. Regulatory network configurations, such as their topology and timescale, are shown to be critical in attenuating noise, and noise is also found to facilitate cell fate decision. Here we review major recent findings on noise attenuation through regulatory control, the benefit of noise via noise-induced cellular plasticity during developmental patterning, and summarize key principles underlying noise control

Success Factors in Healthcare Crowdfunding

Through overseas healthcare crowdfunding, many patients from developing countries successfully collect enough money for their treatments. Knowing the importance of this alternative financing tool, we studied the factors that affect the speed of healthcare crowdfunding. Timing — that is whether the campaigns were posted before, during or after American holidays — is significantly associated with a higher funding speed. Concerning macroeconomic conditions, if two patients hold the same characteristics except for their home countries, the one from poorer country statistically completes the campaign faster than the other. Moreover, the larger portion of universal funders the campaigns have, the faster the patients obtain the predetermined funding amount with the other variables remaining constant. Similarly, a higher percentage of active funders with profile pictures or name initials is associated with a faster funding speed. Furthermore, pictures with patients smiling attract a greater percentage of active funders to donate, which positively affects the funding success in the long term

Functional characterization of a short peptidoglycan recognition protein from Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus)

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 31302221, 31172408 and 31272666) and Jiangsu Province (Grant no. BK20171274 and BK2011418), and partially by the Opening Project of Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biotechnology of Marine Wetland (Grant no. K2016-08). QZ was supported by the “Qinglan” project of Jiangsu province of China.Peer reviewedPublisher PD