Isolating causal relationships is very difficult in natural discussion because discussion is, by nature, a causally complex interactive process. This study provides a novel approach to this problem ...by using simulated online discussion to experimentally manipulate message characteristics in a timed script that participants believed to be a discussion with other participants. In particular, we manipulated whether simulated online discussion partners expressed disagreement civilly or uncivilly. With this unique design, we examined how individuals differently react to opposing views in an online discussion setting depending on tone of disagreement expression. Our results showed that exposure to uncivil discussion results in increased negative emotions toward the other side, which in turn led to more closed-mindedness and more expression of disagreement with the discussion partner on the other side of the issue, although uncivil discussion and negative emotions are positively related to recall of the other side’s reasons.
This study identified the effects of an integrated diabetes self-management program using smartphone application (app), based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills (IMB) model. A randomized ...comparison, using a pre-and post-test design, was conducted with 32 participants in the experimental group and 36 in the control group. The integrated diabetes self-management program consisted of face-to-face educational sessions, a diabetes self-management smartphone app, and phone counseling. In the experimental group, diabetes self-management knowledge (Z=-2.70, p=.007), social motivation (Z=-1.97, p=.048), and behavior (t=3.22, p=.002) improved, with their hemoglobin A1c (Z=-4.83, p<.001) decreasing compared to the control group. At the post-test, the experimental group’s fasting blood sugar level (t=2.79, p=.009), total calorie intake (t=3.94, p=.001), carbohydrate intake (t=5.69, p<.001), and fat intake (t=2.54, p=.021) decreased compared to the pre-test. An integrated diabetes self-management program using smartphone app, based on the IMB model, should be utilized as a nursing intervention.
The number of wind-generating resources has increased considerably, owing to concerns over the environmental impact of fossil-fuel combustion. Therefore, wind power forecasting is becoming an ...important issue for large-scale wind power grid integration. Ensemble forecasting, which combines several forecasting techniques, is considered a viable alternative to conventional single-model-based forecasting for improving the forecasting accuracy. In this work, we propose the day-ahead ensemble forecasting of wind power using statistical methods. The ensemble forecasting model consists of three single forecasting approaches: autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous variable (ARIMAX), support vector regression (SVR), and the Monte Carlo simulation-based power curve model. To apply the methodology, we conducted forecasting using the historical data of wind farms located on Jeju Island, Korea. The results were compared between a single model and an ensemble model to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.
Identification of Alzheimer's Disease (AD)-related transcriptomic signatures from blood is important for early diagnosis of the disease. Deep learning techniques are potent classifiers for AD ...diagnosis, but most have been unable to identify biomarkers because of their lack of interpretability.
To address these challenges, we propose a pathway information-based neural network (PINNet) to predict AD patients and analyze blood and brain transcriptomic signatures using an interpretable deep learning model. PINNet is a deep neural network (DNN) model with pathway prior knowledge from either the Gene Ontology or Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases. Then, a backpropagation-based model interpretation method was applied to reveal essential pathways and genes for predicting AD.
The performance of PINNet was compared with a DNN model without a pathway. Performances of PINNet outperformed or were similar to those of DNN without a pathway using blood and brain gene expressions, respectively. Moreover, PINNet considers more AD-related genes as essential features than DNN without a pathway in the learning process. Pathway analysis of protein-protein interaction modules of highly contributed genes showed that AD-related genes in blood were enriched with cell migration, PI3K-Akt, MAPK signaling, and apoptosis in blood. The pathways enriched in the brain module included cell migration, PI3K-Akt, MAPK signaling, apoptosis, protein ubiquitination, and
-cell activation.
By integrating prior knowledge about pathways, PINNet can reveal essential pathways related to AD. The source codes are available at https://github.com/DMCB-GIST/PINNet.
Cultural diversity is a topic that has been taught across disciplines, but the pandemic has made it more difficult for universities and colleges to teach and discuss it when active interaction is ...limited in the classroom setting. The difficulties and challenges observed in communication courses, including advertising and public relations, brought this interdisciplinary talk with three professors. In the reflective essay, the faculties discuss the importance of teaching and discussing cultural diversity in the disciplines and how to incorporate the topic into the curriculum while acknowledging the challenges during the pandemic. Finally, the observations from teaching the courses last two years and analysis of theories and literature offered some guidelines and recommendations to help students and faculties move forward in the post-pandemic
The existing literature has reached contradictory empirical conclusions regarding the tendency for generalist and specialist organizations to change their status quo. Some have posited that ...generalists are less likely to change than specialists, while others have posited the opposite. This article explores when generalists and specialists change their allocations of labor resources by delving into two different mechanisms: (1) how they perform (problem-driven mechanism) and (2) how much extra resources they possess (slack-driven mechanism). Based on empirical evidence collected in the agricultural industry in South Korea, we find that specialists are more likely to change in accordance with a problem-driven mechanism, whereas generalists are more prone to react to a slack-driven mechanism.
We investigated the protective effect and mechanisms of apigenin against cognitive impairments in a scopolamine-injected mouse model. Our results showed that intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of ...scopolamine leads to learning and memory dysfunction, whereas the administration of apigenin (synthetic compound, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day) improved cognitive ability, which was confirmed by behavioral tests such as the T-maze test, novel objective recognition test, and Morris water maze test in mice. In addition, scopolamine-induced lipid peroxidation in the brain was attenuated by administration of apigenin. To further evaluate the protective mechanisms of apigenin on cognitive and memory function, Western blot analysis was carried out. Administration of apigenin decreased the B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X/B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bax/Bcl-2) ratio and suppressed caspase-3 and poly ADP ribose polymerase cleavage. Furthermore, apigenin down-regulated the β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme, along with presenilin 1 (PS1) and PS2 protein levels. Apigenin-administered mice showed lower protein levels of a receptor for advanced glycation end-products, whereas insulin-degrading enzyme, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) expression were promoted by treatment with apigenin. Therefore, this study demonstrated that apigenin is an active substance that can improve cognitive and memory functions by regulating apoptosis, amyloidogenesis, and BDNF/TrkB signaling pathways.
Nanofiltration ceramic hollow fiber membranes were developed to simplify the manufacturing process and improve water and organic solvent permeation performance. The alumina hollow fiber support was ...prepared by a phase-inversion/sintering method, and a γ-Al2O3 sol was coated thereon as a selective layer. Polyvinyl alcohol and ethanol were used as the drying control chemical additive in the coating solution, so that a coating layer could be formed without defects in only one coating step. The coating layer thickness could be adjusted to 0.6–2 μm depending on the coating drawing speed. A sintering temperature of 350 °C was selected to provide both reasonable water permeability (6.91 LMH/bar) and rejection (a molecular weight cutoff of 1000 Da or less) and to form a stable γ-Al2O3 phase. In the case of a membrane that was surface-modified with (3-chloropropyl)-trimethoxysilane, the permeability of toluene and hexane was 2.3 and 4.3 LMH/bar, respectively. The newly developed ceramic membrane showed excellent permeability and separation properties, as well as potential effectiveness for organic solvent nanofiltration applications.
The bone tissue is a dynamic complex that constitutes of several interdependent systems and is continuously remodeled through the concerted actions of bone cells. Osteoblasts are mononucleated cells, ...derived from mesenchymal stem cells, responsible for bone formation. Osteoclasts are large multinucleated cells that differentiate from hematopoietic progenitors of the myeloid lineage and are responsible for bone resorption. The lineage-specific differentiation of bone cells requires an epigenetic regulation of gene expressions involving chromatin dynamics. The key step for understanding gene regulatory networks during bone cell development lies in characterizing the chromatin modifying enzymes responsible for reorganizing and potentiating particular chromatin structure. This review covers the histone-modifying enzymes involved in bone development, discusses the impact of enzymes on gene expression, and provides future directions and clinical significance in this area.
The tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters use an extra cytoplasmic substrate binding protein (SBP) to transport a wide variety of substrates in bacteria and archaea. The SBP can ...adopt an open- or closed state depending on the presence of substrate. The two transmembrane domains of TRAP transporters form a monomeric elevator whose function is strictly dependent on the presence of a sodium ion gradient. Insights from experimental structures, structural predictions and molecular modeling have suggested a conformational coupling between the membrane elevator and the substrate binding protein. Here, we use a disulfide engineering approach to lock the TRAP transporter HiSiaPQM from Haemophilus influenzae in different conformational states. The SBP, HiSiaP, is locked in its substrate-bound form and the transmembrane elevator, HiSiaQM, is locked in either its assumed inward- or outward-facing states. We characterize the disulfide-locked constructs and use single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy to study their interactions. Our experiments demonstrate that the SBP and the transmembrane elevator are indeed conformationally coupled, meaning that the open and closed state of the SBP recognize specific conformational states of the transporter and vice versa.
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