A note on Gutierrez's kinetics model for oxygen delivery to tissue.

The problems associated with Gutierrez model (1986, Resp. Physiol. 63, 79-96) on O2 delivery to tissue are discussed. He has used a dimensionally incorrect function for the oxygen dissociation curve (ODC). The dimensionally correct function for the ODC has been used in the analysis and the correct results are given for normoxic, hypoxic and anaemic conditions.     

QSAR study on benzenesulphonamide carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: topological approach using Balaban index

QSAR study on benzenesulphonamide carbonic anhydrase inhibitors has been made using the most discriminatory Balaban index (J). The regression analysis has shown that even in monoparametric regression this index gave excellent results. Furthermore, using the combination of the Balaban Index (J) with the first-order Randic connectivity index ((1)chi) and indicator parameters, tremendous improvement in the statistics has been observed. The results are critically discussed on the basis of regression data and cross-validation parameters.     

Information gain for genetic parameter estimation with incorporation of marker data

Genetic marker data has been increasingly incorporated into segregation analysis, as combined segregation and linkage analysis has been performed more frequently. In this article, we study the extent of information gains with incorporation of marker data in segregation analysis, a topic that has not been investigated rigorously. Specifically, the current study is to investigate the influence of marker data on genetic model parameter estimation. A variance matrix criterion (as the inverse of the Fisher information matrix) and a relative entropy criterion (a measure of flatness of expected log-likelihood surface) are used to quantify the information gains. Our results indicate that substantial information gain can be achieved with the incorporation of marker data. The amount of variance reduction increases as the heterozygosity of the linked marker increases and as the trait gets closer to the linked marker(s). Incorporation of marker data in larger pedigrees also yields greater information gains based on both criteria. The effect of pedigree structure is also studied.     

Distinguishing cell types or populations based on the computational analysis of their infrared spectra

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy of intact cells results in a fingerprint of their biochemistry in the form of an IR spectrum; this has given rise to the new field of biospectroscopy. This protocol describes sample preparation (a tissue section or cytology specimen), the application of IR spectroscopy tools, and computational analysis. Experimental considerations include optimization of specimen preparation, objective acquisition of a sufficient number of spectra, linking of the derived spectra with tissue architecture or cell type, and computational analysis. The preparation of multiple specimens (up to 50) takes 8 h; the interrogation of a tissue section can take up to 6 h (～100 spectra); and cytology analysis (n = 50, 10 spectra per specimen) takes 14 h. IR spectroscopy generates complex data sets and analyses are best when initially based on a multivariate approach (principal component analysis with or without linear discriminant analysis). This results in the identification of class clustering as well as class-specific chemical entities.     

Efficiency of the EU regulation on greenhouse gas emissions in Italy: The hierarchical cluster analysis approach

Using both a multivariate technique and a classic convergence analysis, we set out to test in an original way if the European Union (EU) regulation on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by urban road transport has generated a policy transfer process. By doing so, this paper attempts to fill the gap in research on ex-post analysis to assess whether the decisions taken at the EU level are actually transposed and implemented locally. The results obtained allow to document whether the EU regulation has stimulated the adoption of sustainable mobility policies for a selected group of Italian cities. The findings show that the processes of policy transfer may produce different effects if heterogeneity exists between cities or regions, even if they belong to the same country. Italian evidence demonstrates that northern cities are more actively drawing policy lessons. The study also reveals that large cities choose to look abroad more often than small municipalities. These results indicate that there may be institutional and economic variables that influence the transfer process.     

A Global Optimization Approach to Multi-Polarity Sentiment Analysis

Following the rapid development of social media, sentiment analysis has become an important social media mining technique. The performance of automatic sentiment analysis primarily depends on feature selection and sentiment classification. While information gain (IG) and support vector machines (SVM) are two important techniques, few studies have optimized both approaches in sentiment analysis. The effectiveness of applying a global optimization approach to sentiment analysis remains unclear. We propose a global optimization-based sentiment analysis (PSOGO-Senti) approach to improve sentiment analysis with IG for feature selection and SVM as the learning engine. The PSOGO-Senti approach utilizes a particle swarm optimization algorithm to obtain a global optimal combination of feature dimensions and parameters in the SVM. We evaluate the PSOGO-Senti model on two datasets from different fields. The experimental results showed that the PSOGO-Senti model can improve binary and multi-polarity Chinese sentiment analysis. We compared the optimal feature subset selected by PSOGO-Senti with the features in the sentiment dictionary. The results of this comparison indicated that PSOGO-Senti can effectively remove redundant and noisy features and can select a domain-specific feature subset with a higher-explanatory power for a particular sentiment analysis task. The experimental results showed that the PSOGO-Senti approach is effective and robust for sentiment analysis tasks in different domains. By comparing the improvements of two-polarity, three-polarity and five-polarity sentiment analysis results, we found that the five-polarity sentiment analysis delivered the largest improvement. The improvement of the two-polarity sentiment analysis was the smallest. We conclude that the PSOGO-Senti achieves higher improvement for a more complicated sentiment analysis task. We also compared the results of PSOGO-Senti with those of the genetic algorithm (GA) and grid search method. From the results of this comparison, we found that PSOGO-Senti is more suitable for improving a difficult multi-polarity sentiment analysis problem.     

Probabilistic Sensitivity Analysis of Public Health Risk Assessment from Contaminated Soil

Recently, there has been a growing trend toward using stochastic (probabilistic) methods in ecological and public health risk assessment. These methods are favored because they overcome the problem of compounded conservatism and allow the systematic consideration of uncertainty and variability typically encountered in risk assessment. This article demonstrates a new methodology for the analysis of uncertainty in risk assessment using the first-order reliability method (FORM). The reliability method is formulated such that the probability that incremental lifetime cancer risk exceeds a predefined threshold level is calculated. Furthermore, the stochastic sensitivity of this probability with respect to the random variables is provided. The emphasis is on exploring the different types of probabilistic sensitivity obtained through the reliability analysis. The method is applied to a case study given by Thompson et al. (1992) on cancer risk resulting from dermal contact with benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)-contaminated soils. The reliability results matched those of the Monte Carlo simulation method. On average, the Monte Carlo simulation method required about 35 times as many function evaluations as that of FORM to calculate the probability of exceeding the target risk level. The analysis emphasizes the significant impact that the uncertainty in cancer potency factor has on the probabilistic modeling results compared with other parameters.     

心脏杂音的自适应时频谱分析

应用自适应时频分析方法对心脏杂音（收缩期杂音、舒张期杂音、连续性杂音）进行分类研究,旨在克服固定核时频分析分辨率较低的缺陷。对多例心脏病人不同类型的心脏杂音分析结果表明：基于自适应锥形核分布的时频谱反映了心脏杂音在时间－频率平面的能量分布及动态变化过程,并有较高的时频分辨率,不同类型心脏杂音的时频谱具有明显的时频特征。     

QSAR study on pK(a) vis-à-vis physiological activity of sulfonamides: a dominating role of surface tension (inverse steric parameter)

The paper describes the dominating role of surface tension (ST) on the modeling, monitoring, and estimating pK(a) for a large series of 43 substituted sulfonamides. Because of the direct correlation of ST with parachor (Pc) vis-a-vis molecular volume (MV), ST is considered as a steric parameter. Single as well as multi-parametric regressions have indicated that ST has a dominating role in QSAR of the set of sulfonamides used and that excellent results are obtained in multi-parametric regression analysis. The results are discussed critically on the basis of statistical parameters.     

Sensitivity Analysis in Multicriteria Spatial Decision-Making: A Review

The aim of this article is to review how sensitivity analysis has been applied to models based on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Multicriteria Evaluation techniques (MCE). This kind of analysis is conceived as a stage in the model evaluation that examines the extent of output variation of a model when parameters are systematically varied over a range of interest. Twenty-eight studies related to land planning processes, environmental management, and location of noxious facilities have been examined. This review reveals that sensitivity analysis is a) not a common practice, b) is more widely carried out in location of noxious facilities, and c) that the analysis most frequently used is based on the variation of the weights of the factors implied in the process to test whether it significantly modifies the results obtained.     

Precipitation of concanavalin A by a high mannose type glycopeptide

The interactions of a high mannose type glycopeptide with Concanavalin A has been investigated by quantitative precipitation analysis. The equivalence points of the precipitin curves indicate that the glycopeptide is bivalent for lectin binding. These results and others demonstrate that there are two lectin binding sites per molecule of the glycopeptide: one site on the alpha (1-6) arm of the core beta-mannose residue involving a trimannosyl moiety, and another site on the alpha (1-3) arm of the core beta-mannose residue involving an alpha (1-2) mannobiosyl group. The two sites are unequal in their affinities, and bind by different mechanisms. These results are related to the possible structure-function properties of high mannose type of glycopeptides on the surface of cells.     

IMGT/HighV-QUEST: the IMGT® web portal for immunoglobulin (IG) or antibody and T cell receptor (TR) analysis from NGS high throughput and deep sequencing

Background: The number of antigen receptors, immunoglobulins (IG) or antibodies and T cell receptors (TR) of the adaptive immune response in vertebrates with jaws is almost unlimited (2.1012 per individual in humans). IMGT®, the international ImMunoGeneTics information system®, has developed online tools that provide a detailed and accurate sequence analysis of the V domains (IMGT/V-QUEST) and CDR3 (IMGT/JunctionAnalysis), based on IMGT-ONTOLOGY. However online analyses are limited to 50 sequences per batch. The challenge was to provide identical high quality analysis for the huge number of sequences obtained by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) high throughput and deep sequencing.Results: IMGT® has developed IMGT/HighV-QUEST that analyses up to 150,000 IG or TR V domain sequences per batch and performs statistical analysis on the results of up to 450,000 sequences. IMGT/HighV-QUEST provides users with: (i) a friendly web interface for submission and results retrieval, (ii) high quality detailed results of IMGT/V-QUEST and IMGT/JunctionAnalysis, based on the IMGT-ONTOLOGY concepts and IMGT Scientific chart rules, (iii) a standardized frame for NGS statistical analysis, based on ‘Results category’ (‘1 copy’, ‘More than 1’, ‘single allele’, ‘several alleles (or genes)’, (iv) detailed standardized statistical analysis tables and histograms (e.g., V, D and J usage, CDR3-IMGT lengths).Conclusions: IMGT/HighV-QUEST has been freely available for use for academics on the IMGT® Home page (http://www.imgt.org) since October 2010. More than 123 million sequences were submitted during its first year. IMGT/HighV-QUEST is a key component for establishing reliable repertoires of IG and TR V domains. These repertoires will contribute to the individual immunoprofiles in diverse immune situations and on different B and T cell populations. They will also contribute to characterize potential therapeutic antibodies from combinatorial libraries.     

Molecular dynamics studies of the antimicrobial peptides piscidin 1 and its mutants with a DOPC lipid bilayer

Piscidin 1 (Pis‐1) has a high broad‐spectrum activity against bacteria, fungi, and viruses but it also has a moderate hemolytic activities. To improve the antibacterial activity and to reduce toxicity, mutants Pis‐1AA (G8A/G13A double mutant) and Pis‐1PG (G8P mutant) have been designed based on the crystal structure of Pis‐1. Eighteen independent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Pis‐1 and its mutants with membranes are conducted in this article. Furthermore, 60 independent MD simulations of three peptides in water box have also been discussed for comparison. The results indicate that the unfolding process starts at the middle of the peptide. Pis‐1 disrupts easily in the region of Val10‐Lys14. Pis‐1PG has a flexible N‐terminal region, and the interaction between N‐terminal and C‐terminal is very weak. Pis‐1AA has the most stable helical structure. In addition, percentage of native contacts and hydrogen bonds analysis are also performed. Lipid‐peptide interaction analysis suggests that Pis‐1 and Pis‐1AA has a stronger interaction with the zwitterionic dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) lipid bilayer than Pis‐1PG. When compared with the results of peptide with membrane, peptides are unstable and unfolding quickly in water solution. Our results are applicable in examining diversities on hemolytic, antibacterial, and selectivity of antimicrobial peptides. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 97:998–1009, 2012.     

Conformational effects of the substitution of Arg for Gly 13 in the ras oncogene-encoded P21 protein

The effect of the substitution of Arg for Gly 13 on the structure of the transforming region decapeptide (Leu 6-Gly 15) of the ras oncogene encoded P21 protein has been investigated using conformational energy analysis. A human malignancy has been identified that contains a ras gene with a single mutation in the thirteenth codon such that the encoded protein would have Arg substituted for Gly at this position, and transfection of cells in culture with this gene results in malignant transformation. Conformational analysis demonstrates that the Arg 13 decapeptide adopts a conformation identical to that for other peptides with substitutions at position 13 (Asp 13, Val 13) from transforming proteins that is distinctively different from that for peptides (Gly 13, Ser 13) from normal, nontransforming proteins. This is found to be an indirect effect resulting from changes in the conformation of Gly 12 produced by substitutions at position 13. These results are consistent with recent analysis of crystallographic data of proteins on conformational preferences for glycine in tripeptide sequences.     

The increase of carbon dyoxidi production at hypoxia in health subjects

Pulmonary gas exchange, SpO2 and heart rate at 15-min hypoxia (respiration by air with 0.17; 0.15 and 0.13 oxygen fractions) have been investigated in 24 health subjects. It has been established, results of the group analysis and the results of the individual analysis had been differed. Reaction on hypoxia at the group analysis had been found only at 0.13 02 fraction. It was only hyperventilation. The individual analysis had revealed 4 types of reaction on hypoxia already at 0.17 and 0.15 02 fractions: (1) hyperventilation, (2) decrease of oxygen consumption, (3) increase of ventilation effectiveness, (4) increase of CO2 production. The mechanisms of last reaction are unknown, but we supposed it was connected with anaerobic metabolism. The reactions were detected at light hypoxia (0.17 and 0.15 oxygen fractions) in 90% health subjects when SpO2 decreased to 87-93%. The increase ventilation has been detected at hypoxia within respiration 0.13 oxygen in 60% subjects when SpO2 decreased to 83-87%, while other reactions were nearly absent.     

Numerical analysis of mire vegetation at Åsenmyra, Engerdal, Central Southern Norway and comparison with traditional Fennoscandian paludicology

The investigation area has been examined by means of a regularly-spaced sampling technique. With the sample plots as attributes, association analysis (ASSI/AN) and inverse information analysis (INFO) have been employed to estimate associations between pairs of species (ASSI/AN) and to establish species groups (INFO). The 50 most frequently occurring species in the sample set were selected for these purposes. Based on INFO and ASSI/AN results and ecological measurements' indication, fourteen species groups have been established and discussed.
Divisive information analysis (DIVINF) has been employed in the classification of sample plots. The 75 most frequently occurring species were selected as attributes. Twenty DIVINF groups were established. Similarity coefficients were calculated between all these groups in order to reexamine their internal relationships. Based on these coefficients and based on the species groups and the ecological measurements' indication, DIVINF groups have been linked to establish vegetation blocks, which are regarded as the basic vegetation units in the present study. Traditional Fennoscandian phytosociological notions are used in the discussion of the four blocks and in comparisons of the blocks with other mire vegetation communities described.     

The modes of action of gallamine

The action of gallamine, a classical competitive neuromuscular blocking agent, has been examined on voltage-clamped endplates of frog skeletal muscle fibres. Gallamine produces a parallel shift of the equilibrium log (concentration)--response curves in concentrations of up to about 40 microM. At a membrane potential of -70 mV the Schild plot of the dose ratios so measured has a gradient of slightly less than the theoretical value, for a competitive antagonist, of unity. The apparent equilibrium constant for 'competitive' block is about 2 microM, and is approximately independent of the membrane potential. Fluctuation analysis of the endplate current shows two components in the presence of gallamine. The results can be fitted, over the range tested, by a mechanism that involves block of open ion channels by gallamine in a manner similar to that by procaine or quaternary local anaesthetic analogues. The rate constants for this action are strongly dependent on the membrane potential. At -100 mV the association rate constant is about 4 x 10(7) M-1S-1, the dissociation rate constant is about 600 s-1, and the equilibrium constant about 15 microM. Other kinetic measurements (voltage-jump relaxation, and nerve-evoked endplate currents) give results consistent with this conclusion, but apparently these results are valid over a range of conditions narrower than that for fluctuation analysis.     

QSAR study on (13)C NMR chemical shifts on carbinol carbon atoms

QSAR calculations of (13)C NMR chemical shifts (ppm, TMS=0) on carbinol carbon atoms have been attempted using a large set of distance based topological indices: Wiener (W)-, Szeged (Sz)-, PI (Padmakar-Ivan) and Connectivity ((m)chi, (m)chi(v)) indices. The regression analysis has shown that excellent results are obtained in multiparametric regression. The predictive power of the proposed models are discussed using cross-validated parameters.     

SENSORY ANALYSIS IN MARKETING PRACTICE: COMPARISON AND INTEGRATION

Sensory analysis has traditionally played a prominent role in quality control for food products. More and more principles from sensory analysis are also applied in the area of food product development, bringing sensory analysis more closely into the domain of marketing. Unfortunately, in practice integration between sensory and marketing practices is far from optimal. Differences in basic orientations between sensory and marketing are a major source contributing to this defective cooperation.
Sensory analysis has traditionally been product oriented with an emphasis on internal validity of the test results. Implicitly or explicitly this approach emphasizes the relationships between sensory evaluation and characteristics of the product. Marketing, on the other hand, stresses the external validity of test results: the extent to which test results can be generalized to market behavior. Emphasis on external validity requires an approach to sensory analysis that is fundamentally different from current sensory practice in terms of type of respondents, type of stimuli, scaling procedures adopted and test circumstances.
Closer integration between the product and consumer oriented approach to sensory analysis may contribute to the success of product development in the food industry. The literature suggests several factors that may contribute to a more fruitful cooperation between the two approaches to sensory analysis. The company's senior management plays a central role in the achievement of this integration by providing an infrastructure (in terms of personnel, organizational structure and financial resources) that paves the way for closer cooperation.