5,779 research outputs found
Combined Effect of Vorinostat and Grape Seed Proanthocyanidins on Modulation of Thymidine Phosphorylase in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Purpose: To demonstrate the effect of histone deacetylase-inhibitor, vorinostat, on antitumour activity of grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.Methods: Expression of thymidine phosphorlase (TP) and thymidylate synthase (TS) was measured by real-time PCR and western blotting. TP knockdown was performed using specific small interfering RNA. Antitumour activity of combination of vorinostat and GSPs was assessed according to Chou and Talay method and by evaluating apoptosis.Results: Vorinostat treatment led to a significant increase in TP expression but decrease in TS expression in NSCLC cells. In H157 cells, increase in the concentration of vorinostat from 0.34 to 0.4 ΌM increased TP expression 3- to 6-fold. In H1299 cells, there was 7-fold reduction of TS transcript and 30-fold increase of TP transcript at 48 h. Vorinostat, when used in combination with GSPs, resulted in a synergistic anti-proliferative effect and increased apoptotic cell death. However, cells with TP knockdown did not exhibit vorinostat- and GSPs-mediated anti-proliferative effect and apoptotic cell death.Conclusion: The combination of vorinostat and GSPs can be an effective and innovative antitumour therapy for the treatment of NSCLC.Keywords: Histone deacetylase-inhibitor, Synergism, Apoptosis, Antitumo
Confidence in prediction: an approach for dynamic weighted ensemble.
Combining classifiers in an ensemble is beneficial in achieving better prediction than using a single classifier. Furthermore, each classifier can be associated with a weight in the aggregation to boost the performance of the ensemble system. In this work, we propose a novel dynamic weighted ensemble method. Based on the observation that each classifier provides a different level of confidence in its prediction, we propose to encode the level of confidence of a classifier by associating with each classifier a credibility threshold, computed from the entire training set by minimizing the entropy loss function with the mini-batch gradient descent method. On each test sample, we measure the confidence of each classifierâs output and then compare it to the credibility threshold to determine whether a classifier should be attended in the aggregation. If the condition is satisfied, the confidence level and credibility threshold are used to compute the weight of contribution of the classifier in the aggregation. By this way, we are not only considering the presence but also the contribution of each classifier based on the confidence in its prediction on each test sample. The experiments conducted on a number of datasets show that the proposed method is better than some benchmark algorithms including a non-weighted ensemble method, two dynamic ensemble selection methods, and two Boosting methods
An Open Framework for Constructing Continuous Optimization Problems
Many artificial benchmark problems have been proposed for different kinds of continuous optimization, e.g., global optimization, multi-modal optimization, multi-objective optimization, dynamic optimization, and constrained optimization. However, there is no unified framework for constructing these types of problems and possible properties of many problems are not fully tunable. This will cause difficulties for researchers to analyze strengths and weaknesses of an algorithm. To address these issues, this paper proposes a simple and intuitive framework, which is able to construct different kinds of problems for continuous optimization. The framework utilizes the k-d tree to partition the search space and sets a certain number of simple functions in each subspace. The framework is implemented into global/multimodal optimization, dynamic single objective optimization, multiobjective optimization, and dynamic multi-objective optimization, respectively. Properties of the proposed framework are discussed and verified with traditional evolutionary algorithms
One Monopole with k Singularities
We present all charge one monopole solutions of the Bogomolny equation with k
prescribed Dirac singularities for the gauge groups U(2), SO(3), or SU(2). We
analyze these solutions comparing them to the previously known expressions for
the cases of one or two singularities.Comment: 12 pages, LaTe
Associations of perceived interparental relationship, family harmony and family happiness with smoking intention in never-smoking Chinese children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study
published_or_final_versio
Supersymmetry enhancement by monopole operators
We describe a method which allows one to study hidden symmetries in a large
class of strongly coupled supersymmetric gauge theories in three dimensions. We
apply this method to the ABJM theory and to the infrared limit of N=4 SQCD with
adjoint and fundamental matter. We show that the U(N) ABJM model with
Chern-Simons level k=1 or k=2 has hidden N=8 supersymmetry. Hidden
supersymmetry is also shown to occur in N=4 d=3 SQCD with one fundamental and
one adjoint hypermultiplet. The latter theory, as well as the U(N) ABJM theory
at k=1, are shown to have a decoupled free sector. This provides evidence that
both models are dual to the infrared limit of N=8 U(N) super-Yang-Mills theory.Comment: 29 pages, late
Enhancement of the performance of anaerobic fluidized bed bioreactors (AFBBRs) by a new starch based flocculant
In this study, laboratory-scale anaerobic fluidized bed bioreactors (AFBBRs) using granular activated carbon as bedding material were employed for treating a primary treated sewage effluent (PTSE) with or without refractory organic pollutants (ROPs). A new starch based flocculant (NSBF) combining a nature starch based cationic flocculants and trace nutrients was prepared and applied in the AFBBR. The impact of NSBF on the performance of AFBBR was mainly evaluated in terms of organic and nutrient removal and microbial activity. Membrane fouling based on critical flux was assessed when the bioreactor used as pretreatment for microfiltration. The results indicated that the addition of NSBF in AFBBR (NSBF-AFBBR) not only attained improved organic (9-10%) and nutrient removal (10-20%), higher biomass growth (3.0 gbiomass/LGAC) and net bed expansion (18 cm), but also doubled the critical flux (from 15 L/m3 h to 30 L/m3 h) in the microfiltration system. In addition, NSBF-AFBBR could retain 10% better DOC removal efficiency at different recirculation rates for treating PTSE with ROPs. When increasing organic loading rate from 21.6 kg COD/m3 d to 43.2 kg COD/m3 d, NSBF-AFBBR achieved comparatively constant organic removal of 55% whereas the efficiency in AFBBR alone decreased dramatically from 47% to 34%. Thus, NSBF could act as a performance enhancer for AFBBR. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Design, analysis, tools and applications for programmable high-speed and power-aware 4G processors
Data rate traffic and communication capacity demand have been increased continuously. Therefore, a highly advanced 4G wireless system is required to meet a high demand for modern mobile terminals. For getting a further improvement for 4G communication systems, new paradigms of design, analysis tools and applications for 4G communication processors are necessary. In this paper, some of these new paradigms are discussed. Furthermore, a single-step discrete cosine transform truncation (DCTT) method is proposed for the modeling-simulation in signal integrity verification for high-speed communication processors. ©2011 IEEE.published_or_final_versio
Pressure-dependent EPANET extension
In water distribution systems (WDSs), the available flow at a demand node is dependent on the pressure at that node. When a network is lacking in pressure, not all consumer demands will be met in full. In this context, the assumption that all demands are fully satisfied regardless of the pressure in the system becomes unreasonable and represents the main limitation of the conventional demand driven analysis (DDA) approach to WDS modelling. A realistic depiction of the network performance can only be attained by considering demands to be pressure dependent. This paper presents an extension of the renowned DDA based hydraulic simulator EPANET 2 to incorporate pressure-dependent demands. This extension is termed âEPANET-PDXâ (pressure-dependent extension) herein. The utilization of a continuous nodal pressure-flow function coupled with a line search and backtracking procedure greatly enhance the algorithmâs convergence rate and robustness. Simulations of real life networks consisting of multiple sources, pipes, valves and pumps were successfully executed and results are presented herein. Excellent modelling performance was achieved for analysing both normal and pressure deficient conditions of the WDSs. Detailed computational efficiency results of EPANET-PDX with reference to EPANET 2 are included as well
Penalty-free feasibility boundary convergent multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for the optimization of water distribution systems
This paper presents a new penalty-free multi-objective evolutionary approach (PFMOEA) for the optimization of water distribution systems (WDSs). The proposed approach utilizes pressure dependent analysis (PDA) to develop a multi-objective evolutionary search. PDA is able to simulate both normal and pressure deficient networks and provides the means to accurately and rapidly identify the feasible region of the solution space, effectively locating global or near global optimal solutions along its active constraint boundary. The significant advantage of this method over previous methods is that it eliminates the need for ad-hoc penalty functions, additional âboundary searchâ parameters, or special constraint handling procedures. Conceptually, the approach is downright straightforward and probably the simplest hitherto. The PFMOEA has been applied to several WDS benchmarks and its performance examined. It is demonstrated that the approach is highly robust and efficient in locating optimal solutions. Superior results in terms of the initial network construction cost and number of hydraulic simulations required were obtained. The improvements are demonstrated through comparisons with previously published solutions from the literature
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