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| 3. |
- Ahmadi, Shahram, et al.
(author)
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Similar immune responses to alpha1-oleate and Bacillus Calmette–Guérin treatment in patients with bladder cancer
- 2024
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In: Cancer Medicine. - 2045-7634. ; 13:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The molecular content of urine is defined by filtration in the kidneys and by local release from tissues lining the urinary tract. Pathological processes and different therapies change the molecular composition of urine and a variety of markers have been analyzed in patients with bladder cancer. The response to BCG immunotherapy and chemotherapy has been extensively studied and elevated urine concentrations of IL-1RA, IFN-α, IFN-γ TNF-α, and IL-17 have been associated with improved outcome. Methods: In this study, the host response to intravesical alpha 1-oleate treatment was characterized in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer by proteomic and transcriptomic analysis. Results: Proteomic profiling detected a significant increase in multiple cytokines in the treatment group compared to placebo. The innate immune response was strongly activated, including IL-1RA and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the IL-1 family (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-33), chemokines (MIP-1α, IL-8), and interferons (IFN-α2, IFN-γ). Adaptive immune mediators included IL-12, Granzyme B, CD40, PD-L1, and IL-17D, suggesting broad effects of alpha 1-oleate treatment on the tumor tissues. Conclusions: The cytokine response profile in alpha 1-oleate treated patients was similar to that reported in BCG treated patients, suggesting a significant overlap. A reduction in protein levels at the end of treatment coincided with inhibition of cancer-related gene expression in tissue biopsies, consistent with a positive treatment effect. Thus, in addition to killing tumor cells and inducing cell detachment, alpha 1-oleate is shown to activate a broad immune response with a protective potential.
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| 6. |
- Ahmed, S., et al.
(author)
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Effectiveness of health voucher scheme and micro-health insurance scheme to support the poor and extreme poor in selected urban areas of Bangladesh: An assessment using a mixed-method approach
- 2021
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In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 16:11
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background National healthcare financing strategy recommends tax-based equity funds and insurance schemes for the poor and extreme poor living in urban slums and pavements as the majority of these population utilise informal providers resulting in adverse health effects and financial hardship. We assessed the effect of a health voucher scheme (HVS) and micro-health insurance (MHI) scheme on healthcare utilisation and out-of-pocket (OOP) payments and the cost of implementing such schemes. Methods HVS and MHI schemes were implemented by Concern Worldwide through selected NGO health centres, referral hospitals, and private healthcare facilities in three City Corporations of Bangladesh from December 2016 to March 2020. A household survey with 1,294 enrolees, key-informant interviews, focus group discussions, consultative meetings, and document reviews were conducted for extracting data on healthcare utilisation, OOP payments, views of enrolees, and suggestions of implementers, and costs of services at the point of care. Results Healthcare utilisation including maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) services, particularly from medically trained providers, was higher and OOP payments were lower among the scheme enrolees compared to corresponding population groups in general. The beneficiaries were happy with their access to healthcare, especially for MNCH services, and their perceived quality of care was fair enough. They, however, suggested expanding the benefits package, supported by an additional workforce. The cost per beneficiary household for providing services per year was (sic)32 in HVS and (sic)15 in MHI scheme. Conclusion HVS and MHI schemes enabled higher healthcare utilisation at lower OOP payments among the enrolees, who were happy with their access to healthcare, particularly for MNCH services. However, they suggested a larger benefits package in future. The provider's costs of the schemes were reasonable; however, there are potentials of cost containment by purchasing the health services for their beneficiaries in a competitive basis from the market. Scaling up such schemes addressing the drawback would contribute to achieving universal health coverage.
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| 7. |
- Akhtar, Evana, et al.
(author)
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A longitudinal study of rural Bangladeshi children with long-term arsenic and cadmium exposures and biomarkers of cardiometabolic diseases
- 2021
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In: Environmental Pollution. - : Elsevier. - 0269-7491 .- 1873-6424. ; 271
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is growing interest in understanding the contribution of environmental toxicant exposure in early life to development of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) in adulthood. We aimed to assess associations of early life exposure to arsenic and cadmium with biomarkers of CMD in children in rural Bangladesh. From a longitudinal mother-child cohort in Matlab, Bangladesh, we followed up 540 pairs. Exposure to arsenic (U–As) and cadmium (U–Cd) was assessed by concentrations in urine from mothers at gestational week 8 (GW8) and children at ages 4.5 and 9 years. Blood pressure and anthropometric indices were measured at 4.5 and 9 years. Metabolic markers (lipids, glucose, hemoglobin A1c, adipokines, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were determined in plasma/blood of 9 years old children. In linear regression models, adjusted for child sex, age, height-for-age z score (HAZ), BMI-for-age z score (BAZ), socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal education, each doubling of maternal and early childhood U–Cd was associated with 0.73 and 0.82 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) respectively. Both early and concurrent childhood U–Cd was associated with diastolic (D)BP (β = 0.80 at 4.5 years; β = 0.75 at 9 years). Each doubling of U–Cd at 9 years was associated with decrements of 4.98 mg/dL of total cholesterol (TC), 1.75 mg/dL high-density lipoprotein (HDL), 3.85 mg/dL low-density lipoprotein (LDL), 0.43 mg/dL glucose and 4.29 units eGFR. Each doubling of maternal U–Cd was associated with a decrement of 1.23 mg/dL HDL. Both maternal and childhood U–As were associated with decrement in TC and HDL. Multiple comparisons were checked with family-wise error rate Bonferroni-type-approach. The negative associations of arsenic and cadmium with biomarkers of CMD in preadolescent children indicated influence of both metal(loid)s on fat and carbohydrate metabolism, while cadmium additionally influenced kidney function and BP. Thus, fewer outcomes were associated with U–As compared to U–Cd at preadolescence.
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| 10. |
- Akhtar, Nadia, et al.
(author)
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Uncovering Barriers for Industrial Symbiosis : Assessing Prospects for Eco-Industrialization through Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Developing Regions
- 2022
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In: Sustainability. - : MDPI AG. - 2071-1050. ; 14:11, s. 6898-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Industrialization is indispensable for socio-economic development but poses far-reaching implications for resources and the environment. Consequently, industrial symbiosis-based collaborations are gaining recognition as a viable strategy to manage resource consumption for mitigating environmental distress. However, these types of synergistic collaborations are more prevalent in developed regions and are linked to larger-sized industries. Admittedly, such collaborative partnerships are less focused in developing regions and small- to medium-size enterprises (SMEs). This calls for discovering the potentials for synergistic partnerships among the small and medium scaled industrial entities in developing economies. Therefore, the study was designed to identify, assess and explore the prospects of symbiotic collaborations among SMEs in Pakistan. Moreover, the inputs are equally relevant for developing and expanding such productive associations in developing regions. Data regarding inputs and outputs was collected from sixty-one (61) SMEs through field survey during the year 2019. It was processed and analyzed to uncover existing and potential synergies among SMEs. The significant findings transpired that the majority of collaborative linkages are bilateral and are driven to maximize economic gains. However, informal networks of recyclers and absence of a stringent regulatory regime are the ground realities in developing/transforming economies. These factors symptomatically interfere with the process of formal/informal exchanges between and among firms. Furthermore, it was observed that the lack of awareness and impulsiveness of SMEs, as well as the inconsistent supply of by-products, act as barriers for such partnerships in developing countries. It calls for proactive engagements and facilitations from the state institutions through policy instruments. The study addresses a broad audience including industrialists, investors, policy makers and researchers engaged in IS studies. Moreover, the inputs will provide impetus for stimulating eco-industrial progress in developing regions such as Pakistan.
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| 11. |
- Askari Ghotbabadi, Sadegh, et al.
(author)
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Ultra-small photoluminescent silicon-carbide nanocrystals by atmospheric-pressure plasmas
- 2016
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In: Nanoscale. - : ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY. - 2040-3364 .- 2040-3372. ; 8:39, s. 17141-17149
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Highly size-controllable synthesis of free-standing perfectly crystalline silicon carbide nanocrystals has been achieved for the first time through a plasma-based bottom-up process. This low-cost, scalable, ligand-free atmospheric pressure technique allows fabrication of ultra-small (down to 1.5 nm) nanocrystals with very low level of surface contamination, leading to fundamental insights into optical properties of the nanocrystals. This is also confirmed by their exceptional photoluminescence emission yield enhanced by more than 5 times by reducing the nanocrystals sizes in the range of 1-5 nm, which is attributed to quantum confinement in ultra-small nanocrystals. This method is potentially scalable and readily extendable to a wide range of other classes of materials. Moreover, this ligand-free process can produce colloidal nanocrystals by direct deposition into liquid, onto biological materials or onto the substrate of choice to form nanocrystal films. Our simple but efficient approach based on non-equilibrium plasma environment is a response to the need of most efficient bottom-up processes in nanosynthesis and nanotechnology.
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| 12. |
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Austerity and Utopia
- 2020
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Editorial collection (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Austerity and Utopia is the first in a series looking at other potential narratives for mapping our current landscape through redefining the social, political and economic terms of engagement. It was planned a long time before the pandemic. Our current situation was unimaginable just a few months ago, but that it was not easily predictable does not mean that there were no elements pointing to a possible crisis of this nature. Yet the collective search for measures of care and climate justice in the attempt to redefine the neoliberal understanding of austerity and utopia – two major points of the current socio-economic formation – becomes even more pressing.
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| 13. |
- Aziz, Nudrat, et al.
(author)
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Erythroid induction activity of Aquilegia fragrans and Aquilegia pubiflora and identification of compounds using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry
- 2021
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In: JOURNAL OF KING SAUD UNIVERSITY SCIENCE. - : Elsevier. - 1018-3647 .- 2213-686X. ; 33:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aquilegia fragrans (AF) and Aquilegia pubiflora (AP) are the two medicinally important species of genus Aquilegia used for the treatment of various diseases and infections. This paper describes the potential of fetal hemoglobin induction activity of the methanolic extracts of AF and AP in K562 cell line. AF and AP have shown 27.147 +/- 1.376 and 32.786 +/- 1.048 percent erythroid induction, respectively at 15.625 (mg/mL) concentration which suggested that both plants can be the source of potential fetal hemoglobin inducers and may be used for the treatment of beta-thalassemia. Phytochemical analyses of both species were also evaluated by using high-resolution LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS techniques. A Total of thirty compounds were identified using positive and negative ionization modes. The identification was based on the matching of high-resolution masses, isotopic pattern, and MS/MS fragmentation. Several statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the distribution of compounds in both species. Identified compounds belong to various classes including flavonoids, steroids, lignans, terpenoids, benzofuran and coumarins. The established chemical fingerprints will be helpful in standardization and quality control of plant extracts.
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| 15. |
- Banerjee, Debashish, et al.
(author)
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Characterization of Decellularized Implants for Extracellular Matrix Integrity and Immune Response Elicitation
- 2022
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In: Tissue Engineering Part A. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1937-3341 .- 1937-335X. ; 28:13-14, s. 621-639
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biological scaffold is a popular choice for the preparation of tissue-engineered organs and has the potential to address donor shortages in clinics. However, biological scaffolds prepared by physical or chemical agents cause damage to the extracellular matrix (ECM) by potentially inducing immune responses after implantation. The current study explores the fate of the decellularized (DC) scaffolds using a cocktail of chemicals following implantation without using immunosuppressants. Using the syngeneic (Lewis male-Lewis female) and allogeneic (Brown Norway male-Lewis female) models and different tissue routes (subcutaneous vs. omentum) for implantation, we applied in-depth quantitative proteomics, genomics along with histology and quantitative image analysis tools to comprehensively describe and compare the proteins following DC and postimplantation. Our data helped to identify any alteration postdecullarization as well implantation. We could also monitor route-specific modulation of the ECM and regulation of the immune responses (macrophage and T cells) following implantation. The current approach opens up the possibility to monitor the fate of biological scaffolds in terms of the ECM and immune response against the implants. In addition, the identification of different routes helped us to identify differential immune responses against the implants. This study opens up the potential to identify the changes associated with chemical DC both pre- and postimplantation, which could further help to promote research in this direction. Impact StatementThe development of a biological scaffold helps in the preparation of a functional organ in the clinics. In the current study, we develop a strategy for chemical decellularization and explored two different routes to understand the differential responses elicited postimplantation. The use of sensitive protein and genomic tools to study the changes creates a favorable environment for similar efforts to develop and characterize biological scaffolds before further trials in the clinics. The current study, which was carried out without any immunosuppressive agents, could help to establish (a) appropriate chemical strategies for preparing biological scaffolds as well as (b) identify putative implantable routes to circumvent any adverse immune reactions, which will ultimately decide the outcome for acceptance or rejection of the scaffold/implant.
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| 18. |
- Blankenburg Holm, Desirée, Docent, 1962-, et al.
(author)
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An attention-based view on managing information processing channels in organizations
- 2020
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Management. - Oxford : Elsevier Ltd. - 0956-5221 .- 1873-3387. ; 36:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper investigates how information processing channels can be managed such that relevant and novel information about the environment is gathered despite attention biases of top managers and challenges to maintain motivation levels of information providers. We argue that organizations need open and transparent information processing channels, which make top managers accountable. Furthermore, middle managers dedicated to managing these channels who act as a bridge between the information providers and the top managers help to reduce the information overload for top managers. This increases the likelihood that top managers will take appropriate action on the information provided and give suitable feedback to the senders. Lastly, these actions will only be beneficial when they are aligned with company strategy and values.
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| 26. |
- Blankenburg Holm, Desirée, 1962-, et al.
(author)
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The Future of Global Organizing How Subsidiaries Attempt to Direct HQ Attention to New Business Opportunities
- 2015
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In: The Future of Global Organizing. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 9781785604232 ; , s. 151-175
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PurposeWe examine how subsidiaries of multinational companies communicate with headquarters about business opportunities they perceive in their local environment. Our aim is to provide in-depth insights into how communication is used to attract the attention of headquarters.Methodology/approachWe study four communication processes of opportunities recognised by subsidiary managers in four different units within the same multinational corporation.FindingsWe find that communication is influenced by the subsidiaries’ perception of their relationship with headquarters. Importantly, we find that subsidiaries in emerging countries show different communication patterns than those in advanced markets. Our results further point out that multinationals from advanced countries face the challenge to respond to the increased salience of opportunities from emerging economies, while at the same time still working within existing communication patterns and structures that are not adapted to this new situation.Originality/valueOur study presents communication processes within multinationals beyond the frequency of communication, including a variety of aspects of communication. Doing so, we are able to point out that open communication is not achieved with all subsidiaries, and what is worse, seems most of all to be challenged for subsidiaries in emerging markets, risking promising business opportunities in these markets.
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| 27. |
- Briggs, Andrew M., et al.
(author)
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Health systems strengthening to arrest the global disability burden : Empirical development of prioritised components for a global strategy for improving musculoskeletal health
- 2021
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In: BMJ Global Health. - : BMJ. - 2059-7908. ; 6:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction Despite the profound burden of disease, a strategic global response to optimise musculoskeletal (MSK) health and guide national-level health systems strengthening priorities remains absent. Auspiced by the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health (G-MUSC), we aimed to empirically derive requisite priorities and components of a strategic response to guide global and national-level action on MSK health. Methods Design: mixed-methods, three-phase design. Phase 1: qualitative study with international key informants (KIs), including patient representatives and people with lived experience. KIs characterised the contemporary landscape for MSK health and priorities for a global strategic response. Phase 2: scoping review of national health policies to identify contemporary MSK policy trends and foci. Phase 3: informed by phases 1-2, was a global eDelphi where multisectoral panellists rated and iterated a framework of priorities and detailed components/actions. Results Phase 1: 31 KIs representing 25 organisations were sampled from 20 countries (40% low and middle income (LMIC)). Inductively derived themes were used to construct a logic model to underpin latter phases, consisting of five guiding principles, eight strategic priority areas and seven accelerators for action. Phase 2: of the 165 documents identified, 41 (24.8%) from 22 countries (88% high-income countries) and 2 regions met the inclusion criteria. Eight overarching policy themes, supported by 47 subthemes, were derived, aligning closely with the logic model. Phase 3: 674 panellists from 72 countries (46% LMICs) participated in round 1 and 439 (65%) in round 2 of the eDelphi. Fifty-nine components were retained with 10 (17%) identified as essential for health systems. 97.6% and 94.8% agreed or strongly agreed the framework was valuable and credible, respectively, for health systems strengthening. Conclusion An empirically derived framework, co-designed and strongly supported by multisectoral stakeholders, can now be used as a blueprint for global and country-level responses to improve MSK health and prioritise system strengthening initiatives.
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| 28. |
- Chi, Celestine N., et al.
(author)
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Interactions outside the Boundaries of the Canonical Binding Groove of a PDZ Domain Influence Ligand Binding
- 2012
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In: Biochemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0006-2960 .- 1520-4995. ; 51:44, s. 8971-8979
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The postsynaptic density protein-95/discs large/zonula occludens-1 (PDZ) domain is a protein-protein interaction module with a shallow binding groove where protein ligands bind. However, interactions that are not part of this canonical binding groove are likely to modulate peptide binding. We have investigated such interactions beyond the binding groove for PDZ3 from PSD-95 and a peptide derived from the C-terminus of the natural ligand CRIPT. We found via nuclear magnetic resonance experiments that up to eight residues of the peptide ligand interact with the PDZ domain, showing that the interaction surface extends far outside of the binding groove as defined by the crystal structure. PDZ3 contains an extra structural element, a C-terminal helix (α3), which is known to affect affinity. Deletion of this helix resulted in the loss of several intermolecular nuclear Overhauser enhancements from peptide residues outside of the binding pocket, suggesting that α3 forms part of the extra binding surface in wild-type PDZ3. Site-directed mutagenesis, isothermal titration calorimetry, and fluorescence intensity experiments confirmed the importance of both α3 and the N-terminal part of the peptide for the affinity. Our data suggest a general mechanism in which different binding surfaces outside of the PDZ binding groove could provide sites for specific interactions.
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| 29. |
- Classen, Thomas, et al.
(author)
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Hydrogen and Coordination Bonding Supramolecular Structures of Trimesic Acid on Cu(110)
- 2007
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In: Journal of Physical Chemistry A. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1089-5639 .- 1520-5215. ; 111:49, s. 12589-12603
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The adsorption of trimesic acid (TMA) on Cu(110) has been studied in the temperature range between 130 and 550 K and for coverages up to one monolayer. We combine scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS), X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to produce a detailed adsorption phase diagram for the TMA/Cu(110) system as a function of the molecular coverage and the substrate temperature. We identify a quite complex set of adsorption phases, which are determined by the interplay between the extent of deprotonation, the intermolecular bonding, and the overall energy minimization. For temperatures up to 280 K, TMA molecules are only partly deprotonated and form hydrogen-bonded structures, which locally exhibit organizational chirality. Above this threshold, the molecules deprotonate completely and form supramolecular metal−organic structures with Cu substrate adatoms. These structures exist in the form of single and double coordination chains, with the molecular coverage driving distinct phase transitions.
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- de Beeck, Camiel Op, et al.
(author)
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III/V-on-lithium niobate amplifiers and lasers
- 2021
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In: Optica. - 2334-2536. ; 8:10, s. 1288-1289
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- We demonstrate electrically pumped, heterogeneously integrated lasers on thin-film lithium niobate, featuring electro-optic wavelength tunability. (C) 2021 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement
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| 32. |
- Dyer, M. S., et al.
(author)
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Understanding the Interaction of the Porphyrin Macrocycle to Reactive Metal Substrates: Structure, Bonding, and Adatom Capture
- 2011
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In: ACS Nano. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1936-086X .- 1936-0851. ; 5:3, s. 1831-1838
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We investigate the absorption and conformation of free-base porphines on Cu(110) using STM, reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy, and periodic DFT calculations in order to understand how the central polypyrrole macrocycle, common to all porphyrins, interacts with a reactive metal surface. We find that,the-macrocycle forms a chemisorption bond with the surface,, arising from electron donation into down-shifted, and nearly degenerate unoccupied porphine orbitals accompanied with electron back-donation from molecular pi-orbitals. Our calculations show that van der Waals interactions give rise to an overall Increase in the adsorption energy but only minor changes in the adsorption geometry and electronic structure. In addition, we observe copper adatoms being weakly attracted to adsorbed porphines at specific molecular sites. These results provide important insights into porphyrin-surface interactions that ultimately, will govern the design of robust surface mounted molecular devices based on this important class of molecules.
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| 33. |
- Ehatisham-ul-Haq, Muhammad, et al.
(author)
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Identifying smartphone users based on their activity patterns via mobile sensing
- 2017
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In: Procedia Computer Science. - : Elsevier. - 1877-0509. ; 113, s. 202-209
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Smartphones are ubiquitous devices that enable users to perform many of their routine tasks anytime and anywhere. With the advancement in information technology, smartphones are now equipped with sensing and networking capabilities that provide context-awareness for a wide range of applications. Due to ease of use and access, many users are using smartphones to store their private data, such as personal identifiers and bank account details. This type of sensitive data can be vulnerable if the device gets lost or stolen. The existing methods for securing mobile devices, including passwords, PINs and pattern locks are susceptible to many bouts such as smudge attacks. This paper proposes a novel framework to protect sensitive data on smartphones by identifying smartphone users based on their behavioral traits using smartphone embedded sensors. A series of experiments have been conducted for validating the proposed framework, which demonstrate its effectiveness.
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| 34. |
- Falk Olson, Gustaf, 1992-, et al.
(author)
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Enabling Variable Phase-Pole Drives with the Harmonic Plane Decomposition
- 2024
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In: IEEE Access. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). - 2169-3536. ; 12, s. 40049-40063
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Magnet-free variable phase-pole machines are competitive alternatives in electric vehicles where torque-speed operating region, reliability, cost, and energy efficiency are key metrics. However, their modeling and control have so far relied on existing fixed-phase and pole-symmetrical models, limiting their drive capabilities especially when switching the number of poles on the fly. This paper establishes the harmonic plane decomposition theory as a space-discrete Fourier transformation interpretation of the Clarke transformation, decomposing all pole-pair fields into a fixed number of orthogonal subspaces with invariant parameters. The model remains unaltered for all phase-pole configurations, guaranteeing continuity even under phase-pole transitions. Relations of the state and input space vectors, and model parameters to those of the vector space decomposition theory used for multiphase machines are established via the use of the complex winding factor. Experiments confirm the modeling theory and demonstrate its practical usefulness by performing a field-oriented-controlled phase-pole transition. Non-trivial configurations with more than one slot/pole/phase and a fractional phase number are also demonstrated.
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| 35. |
- Fatima, Syeda Alina, et al.
(author)
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In silico analysis and experimental validation shows negative correlation between miR-1183 and cell cycle progression gene 1 expression in colorectal cancer
- 2023
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In: PLoS ONE. - 1932-6203. ; 18:8 August
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by binding to the 3' untranslated regions (UTR) of target genes. Aberrant expression of miRNAs can lead to disease, including cancer. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Among several factors, differential expression of miRNA can have serious consequences on disease progression. This study was designed to computationally identify and experimentally verify strong miRNA candidates that could influence CRC progression. In silico analysis of publicly available gene expression microarray datasets revealed significant upregulation of miR-1183 in CRC. Comparison of mRNA microarray expression data with predicted miR-1183 targets led to the identification of cell cycle progression gene 1 (CCPG1) as strong, negatively correlated miR-1183 target. Expression analysis by means of quantitative PCR validated the inverse correlation between miR-1183 and CCPG1 in colorectal cancer tissues. CCPG1 indirectly modulates the cell cycle by interacting with the PH/DH domain of Dbs (Rho-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor). Interestingly, the computational analysis also showed that miR-1183 is upregulated in liver and gastric cancer. This finding is notable as the liver and stomach are the primary metastatic sites for colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma respectively. This novel finding highlights the broader implications of miR-1183 dysregulation beyond primary CRC, potentially serving as a valuable prognostic marker and a therapeutic target for both primary and metastatic CRC.
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| 36. |
- Fentaye, Amare Desalegn, et al.
(author)
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Gas turbine gas-path fault identification usingnested artificial neural networks
- 2018
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In: Aircraft Engineering. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0002-2667. ; 90:6, s. 992-999
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a quantitative fault diagnostic technique for a two-shaft gas turbine engine applications.Design/methodology/approach – Nested artificial neural networks (NANNs) were used to estimate the progressive deterioration of single andmultiple gas-path components in terms of mass flow rate and isentropic efficiency indices. The data required to train and test this method areattained from a thermodynamic model of the engine under steady-state conditions. To evaluate the tolerance of the method against measurementuncertainties, Gaussian noise values were considered.Findings – The test results revealed that this proposed method is capable of quantifying single, double and triple component faults with asufficiently high degree of accuracy. Moreover, the authors confirmed that NANNs have derivable advantages over the single structure-basedmethods available in the public domain, particularly over those designed to perform single and multiple faults together.Practical implications – This method can be used to assess engine’s health status to schedule its maintenance.Originality/value – For complicated gas turbine diagnostic problems, the conventional single artificial neural network (ANN) structure-based faultdiagnostic technique may not be enough to get robust and accurate results. The diagnostic task can rather be better done if it is divided and sharedwith multiple neural network structures. The authors thus used seven decentralized ANN structures to assess seven different component faultscenarios, which enhances the fault identification accuracy significantly.
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| 37. |
- Fottrell, Edward, et al.
(author)
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The effect of increased coverage of participatory women's groups on neonatal mortality in Bangladesh : A cluster randomized trial
- 2013
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In: JAMA pediatrics. - : American Medical Association. - 2168-6211 .- 2168-6203. ; 167:9, s. 816-25
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- IMPORTANCE: Community-based interventions can reduce neonatal mortality when health systems are weak. Population coverage of target groups may be an important determinant of their effect on behavior and mortality. A women's group trial at coverage of 1 group per 1414 population in rural Bangladesh showed no effect on neonatal mortality, despite a similar intervention having a significant effect on neonatal and maternal death in comparable settings.OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a participatory women's group intervention with higher population coverage on neonatal mortality in Bangladesh.DESIGN: A cluster randomized controlled trial in 9 intervention and 9 control clusters.SETTING: Rural Bangladesh.PARTICIPANTS: Women permanently residing in 18 unions in 3 districts and accounting for 19 301 births during the final 24 months of the intervention.INTERVENTIONS: Women's groups at a coverage of 1 per 309 population that proceed through a participatory learning and action cycle in which they prioritize issues that affected maternal and neonatal health and design and implement strategies to address these issues.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Neonatal mortality rate.RESULTS: Analysis included 19 301 births during the final 24 months of the intervention. More than one-third of newly pregnant women joined the groups. The neonatal mortality rate was significantly lower in the intervention arm (21.3 neonatal deaths per 1000 live births vs 30.1 per 1000 in control areas), a reduction in neonatal mortality of 38% (risk ratio, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.43-0.89]) when adjusted for socioeconomic factors. The cost-effectiveness was US $220 to $393 per year of life lost averted. Cause-specific mortality rates suggest reduced deaths due to infections and those associated with prematurity/low birth weight. Improvements were seen in hygienic home delivery practices, newborn thermal care, and breastfeeding practices.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Women's group community mobilization, delivered at adequate population coverage, is a highly cost-effective approach to improve newborn survival and health behavior indicators in rural Bangladesh.TRIAL REGISTRATION: isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN01805825.
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| 38. |
- Freedman, Kevin J., et al.
(author)
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Nonequilibrium Capture Rates Induce Protein Accumulation and Enhanced Adsorption to Solid-State Nanopores
- 2014
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In: ACS Nano. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1936-0851 .- 1936-086X. ; 8:12, s. 12238-12249
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Single molecule capturing of analytes using an electrically biased nanopore is the fundamental mechanism in which nearly all nanopore experiments are conducted. With pore dimensions being on the order of a single molecule, the spatial zone of sensing only contains approximately a zeptoliter of volume. As a result, nanopores offer high precision sensing within the pore but provide little to no information about the analytes outside the pore. In this study, we use capture frequency and rate balance theory to predict and study the accumulation of proteins at the entrance to the pore. Protein accumulation is found to have positive attributes such as capture rate enhancement over time but can additionally lead to negative effects such as long-term blockages typically attributed to protein adsorption on the surface of the pore. Working with the folded and unfolded states of the protein domain PDZ2 from SAP97, we show that applying short (e.g., 3-25 s in duration) positive voltage pulses, rather than a constant voltage, can prevent long-term current blockades (i.e., adsorption events). By showing that the concentration of proteins around the pore can be controlled in real time using modified voltage protocols, new experiments can be explored which study the role of concentration on single molecular kinetics including protein aggregation, folding, and protein binding.
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| 39. |
- Freedman, Kevin J., et al.
(author)
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Single molecule unfolding and stretching of protein domains inside a solid-state nanopore by electric field
- 2013
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 3, s. 1638-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Single molecule methods have provided a significantly new look at the behavior of biomolecules in both equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions. Most notable are the stretching experiments performed by atomic force microscopes and laser tweezers. Here we present an alternative single molecule method that can unfold a protein domain, observed at electric fields greater than 106 V/m, and is fully controllable by the application of increasing voltages across the membrane of the pore. Furthermore this unfolding mechanism is characterized by measuring both the residence time of the protein within the nanopore and the current blockade. The unfolding data supports a gradual unfolding mechanism rather than the cooperative transition observed by classical urea denaturation experiments. Lastly it is shown that the voltage-mediated unfolding is a function of the stability of the protein by comparing two mutationally destabilized variants of the protein.
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| 40. |
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| 41. |
- Gianni, Stefano, et al.
(author)
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Sequence-specific Long Range networks in PSD-95/Discs Large/ZO-1 (PDZ) Domains Tune Their Binding Selectivity
- 2011
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In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 286:31, s. 27167-27175
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Protein-protein interactions mediated by modular protein domains are critical for cell scaffolding, differentiation, signaling, and ultimately, evolution. Given the vast number of ligands competing for binding to a limited number of domain families, it is often puzzling how specificity can be achieved. Selectivity may be modulated by intradomain allostery, whereby a remote residue is energetically connected to the functional binding site via side chain or backbone interactions. Whereas several energetic pathways, which could mediate intradomain allostery, have been predicted in modular protein domains, there is a paucity of experimental data to validate their existence and roles. Here, we have identified such functional energetic networks in one of the most common protein-protein interaction modules, the PDZ domain. We used double mutant cycles involving site-directed mutagenesis of both the PDZ domain and the peptide ligand, in conjunction with kinetics to capture the fine energetic details of the networks involved in peptide recognition. We performed the analysis on two homologous PDZ-ligand complexes and found that the energetically coupled residues differ for these two complexes. This result demonstrates that amino acid sequence rather than topology dictates the allosteric pathways. Furthermore, our data support a mechanism whereby the whole domain and not only the binding pocket is optimized for a specific ligand. Such cross-talk between binding sites and remote residues may be used to fine tune target selectivity.
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| 42. |
- Hanke, F., et al.
(author)
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Heat-to-Connect: Surface Commensurability Directs Organometallic One-Dimensional Self-Assembly
- 2011
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In: ACS Nano. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1936-086X .- 1936-0851. ; 5:11, s. 9093-9103
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recent experiments demonstrated the assembly of unfunctionalized porphyrin molecules into organometallic wires on the Cu(110) surface through the formation of stable C-Cu-C bonds involving Cu adatoms. The remarkable properly of the observed structures is that they adopt a dear direction, despite the lack of functional ligands to direct the assembly. Here we use density functional theory calculations and scanning tunneling microscopy to clarify the mechanism for the highly one-dimensional assembly of the observed nanostructures. An energetic preference for the formation of C-Cu-C bonds is found In several lattice directions, but self-assembly critically relies on the commensurability of appropriate adsorption sites for the Cu atoms involved-in the coupling. The experimentally observed structures arise from a geometric self-limitation of the assembly process, which proceeds in the energetically and geometrically most preferred direction. A further extension of the structure in the orthogonal dimension to form 2D assemblies is prevented by the lattice mismatch between the repeat lengths in the and directions of the underlying (110) lattice and the apparent rigidity of the molecules involved. However, the fusing of two parallel chains is geometrically allowed and leads to some of the energetically most favorable configurations. Finally, the role of van der Waals forces is investigated for the covalent couplings and chemisorbed interactions found in this system.
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| 43. |
- Haq, Bishrul, et al.
(author)
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A Semi-Supervised Approach for Aspect Category Detection and Aspect Term Extraction from Opinionated Text
- 2023
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In: Computers, Materials and Continua. - : Tech Science Press. - 1546-2218 .- 1546-2226. ; 77:1, s. 115-137
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Internet has become one of the significant sources for sharing information and expressing users' opinions about products and their interests with the associated aspects. It is essential to learn about product reviews; however, to react to such reviews, extracting aspects of the entity to which these reviews belong is equally important. Aspect-based Sentiment Analysis (ABSA) refers to aspects extracted from an opinionated text. The literature proposes different approaches for ABSA; however, most research is focused on supervised approaches, which require labeled datasets with manual sentiment polarity labeling and aspect tagging. This study proposes a semi-supervised approach with minimal human supervision to extract aspect terms by detecting the aspect categories. Hence, the study deals with two main sub-tasks in ABSA, named Aspect Category Detection (ACD) and Aspect Term Extraction (ATE). In the first sub-task, aspects categories are extracted using topic modeling and filtered by an oracle further, and it is fed to zero-shot learning as the prompts and the augmented text. The predicted categories are the input to find similar phrases curated with extracting meaningful phrases (e.g., Nouns, Proper Nouns, NER (Named Entity Recognition) entities) to detect the aspect terms. The study sets a baseline accuracy for two main sub-tasks in ABSA on the Multi-Aspect Multi-Sentiment (MAMS) dataset along with SemEval-2014 Task 4 sub-task 1 to show that the proposed approach helps detect aspect terms via aspect categories.
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| 44. |
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| 45. |
- Haq, E., et al.
(author)
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Growth of relaxed Si1-xGex layers using an oxygen doped Si(O) compliant layer
- 2002
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The combination of a low temperature (LT) Si layer and an oxygen doped compliant layer grown at LT (200-250°C) was studied for the growth of thin, flat and highly relaxed Si1-xGex layers. Samples with 15-45 nm thick oxygen doped layers were used for 100-140 nm thick relaxed Si1-xGex layers. 2-D XRD mapping determined the degree of relaxation and composition of the Si1-xGex layers. AFM was used to study the roughness of the highly relaxed layers. It was observed that the roughness decreased with decreasing thickness of the LT Si layer. Layers, which show moderate relaxation during growth and are further relaxed by annealing at 875°C show the lowest roughness. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 46. |
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| 47. |
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| 48. |
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| 49. |
- Haq, Hammad ul, 1986-
(author)
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The Unequal Playing Field : Headquarters’ Attention and Subsidiary Voice in Multinational Corporations
- 2016
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Attention of top managers has an impact on future direction of an organization according to the attention-based view of the firm. In the context of multinational corporations, headquarters’ attention is likely to influence the actions and behavior of subsidiaries. Thus, in the thesis, I respond to calls for more research on this topic: enhancing the understanding about how a subsidiary’s perception of headquarters’ attention relates to its choice of communication moves when sharing business ideas with headquarters (also known as subsidiary voice). In recent research, subsidiary voice is viewed as a bottom-up tool for subsidiaries to attract headquarters’ attention to issues that they consider important for their local units and the entire organization.In line with the research purpose, the data were collected at the subsidiary level through a combination of both, survey and interviews. The findings based on empirical data point out that a subsidiary’s perception of headquarters’ attention engagement has a positive impact on its voice. This means that subsidiaries not having regular interaction with headquarters are unable to select communication moves that can attract headquarters’ attention and hence encounter challenges in adopting an initiative-taking approach to gain influence or a central position in the organization. As a result, contrary to the claims put forth in recent research, the thesis findings highlight that subsidiary voice alone is not enough to attract headquarters’ attention. Instead, subsidiaries can only use their voice when they have power (also called weight) to influence headquarters’ attention and decisions.This gives rise to an unequal playing field because subsidiaries that lack considerable weight are unable to contribute to strategy formulation and future planning done by the headquarters, with regard to their own units and the organization in general. On the contrary, subsidiaries with a considerable weight experience a high degree of attention engagement from the headquarters and thus find it easier to attract headquarters’ attention for their business ideas.
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| 50. |
- Haq, I., et al.
(author)
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Interaction of Delta- and Lambda-[Ru(phen)2DPPZ]2+ with DNA: A Calorimetric and Equilibrium Binding Study
- 1995
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In: Journal of the American Chemical Society. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1520-5126 .- 0002-7863. ; 117:17, s. 4788-4796
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, and viscosity measurements have been used to characterize the interaction of Delta and Lambda [Ru(phen)(2)DPPZ](2+) with calf thymus DNA. The method of continuous variations revealed two distinct binding stoichiometries for both Delta- and Lambda-DPPZ, corresponding to 0.7 and 3 mol of base pair/mol of ligand. Binding isotherms were obtained for the two enantiomers, both of which show strong binding to DNA, with K = 3.2 x 10(6) M(-1) bp and 1.7 x 10(6) M(-1) bp for the Delta and Lambda isomers, respectively, at 25 degrees C in solutions containing 50 mM NaCl. Titration calorimetry gave Delta H values of +0.3 kcal mol(-1) for Delta-DPPZ and +2.9 kcal mol(-1) for Lambda-DPPZ for their interaction with DNA. These small positive enthalpies, which were confirmed using thermal difference spectroscopy, indicated that the binding of these compounds to DNA is entropically driven. An enthalpy of +2.5 kcal mol(-1) was obtained for the binding of the parent compound, tris(phenanthroline)-Ru(II), to DNA. Titration of all three compounds into buffer gave a nonnegligible heat of dilution. The salt dependence of the binding constant was examined for both isomers. The slope SK = (delta logK/delta log[Na+]) was found to be 1.9 and 2.1 for the Delta and Lambda isomers, respectively. By using polyelectrolyte theory to interpret the observed salt dependence of the equilibrium constant, it can be shown that there is a significant nonelectrostatic contribution to the binding constant. Relative viscosity experiments showed that both Delta- and Lambda-DPPZ increase the length of rod-like DNA, in a manner consistent with binding by classical intercalation. Fluorescence energy transfer experiments provided additional evidence for the intercalation of Delta- and Lambda-[Ru(phen)(2)DPPZ](2+) into DNA.
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