•GRNs represent causal relationships among regulators and their downstream genes.•Biological hypothesis drives data collection and the subsequent inferred GRN.•Inference methods use spatial, ...temporal, and environmental condition data types.•Combining multiple methods provides a better GRN inference than a single method.•GRN inference should incorporate heterogeneous data with gene expression data.
Plants integrate a wide range of cellular, developmental, and environmental signals to regulate complex patterns of gene expression. Recent advances in genomic technologies enable differential gene expression analysis at a systems level, allowing for improved inference of the network of regulatory interactions between genes. These gene regulatory networks, or GRNs, are used to visualize the causal regulatory relationships between regulators and their downstream target genes. Accordingly, these GRNs can represent spatial, temporal, and/or environmental regulations and can identify functional genes. This review summarizes recent computational approaches applied to different types of gene expression data to infer GRNs in the context of plant growth and development. Three stages of GRN inference are described: first, data collection and analysis based on the dataset type; second, network inference application based on data availability and proposed hypotheses; and third, validation based on in silico, in vivo, and in planta methods. In addition, this review relates data collection strategies to biological questions, organizes inference algorithms based on statistical methods and data types, discusses experimental design considerations, and provides guidelines for GRN inference with an emphasis on the benefits of integrative approaches, especially when a priori information is limited. Finally, this review concludes that computational frameworks integrating large-scale heterogeneous datasets are needed for a more accurate (e.g. fewer false interactions), detailed (e.g. discrimination between direct versus indirect interactions), and comprehensive (e.g. genetic regulation under various conditions and spatial locations) inference of GRNs.
In present scenario, Heart Disease has become the vital cause of mortality and diagnosis of heart diseases is a great confrontation in the field of medical data analysis. Data Mining is an efficient ...technique for processing and analyzing larger databases for deriving hidden knowledge appropriately. Hence, it is incorporated in medical data analysis for assisting in effective decision making and disease predictions. With that concern, this paper concentrates on framing an Integrated Model for Heart Disease Diagnosis (IM-HDD) using the advanced data mining conceits. The model considers the significant features of patient data that are available in benchmark datasets. Here, the main objective of the proposed model is to enhance the classification accuracy of patient data on classes under NORMAL and ABNORMAL. For enhancing the classification accuracy, the proposed integrated model utilizes the algorithms such as Decision Tree Algorithm, Naive Baye’s Classification and Ensemble Classifiers called Random Forest and Bagging. Further, performance evaluation is performed for analyzing the proposed work. For that, images from UCI repository are utilized and the comparative analysis shows that the proposed work produces better results than the existing models compared.
Objective: To study the effect of dual tasking and deep brain stimulation frequency parameters on gait in advanced Parkinson's disease Materials and Methods: This is an open label interventional ...study evaluating 40 post STN-DBS patients with gait disturbances. All patients were diagnosed as PD by a movement disorder specialist using the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank (UKPDSBB) criteria. Patients underwent bilateral subthalamic deep brain stimulation by a qualified neurosurgeon. Patients were managed on a combination of dopamine replacement therapy as well as deep brain stimulation. Patients were assessed by stand walk sit (SWS) test for a 5 meter distance and FOG scoring during medication 'ON' state and device "ON" state, at four frequencies 180, 130, 90, 60 HZ and device "OFF" state. Results: Out of 40 patients, 38 patients showed a significant improvement in gait at a single frequency (best response frequency) which is different for each patient. The mean FOG score showed significant improvement at all stimulation frequencies when compared to OFF stimulation (P < 0.05). The mean number of steps was 18.9 at best response frequency and 21.48 at 130 Hz (P < 0.0001). Number of freezing episodes also were significantly less with best frequency when compared to 130 Hz stimulation (0.28 and 0.65 respectively, (P < 0.0001). The mean FOG score was 6.45 at best frequency and 9.48 at 130 Hz (P < 0.0001). Mean Dual tasking score was 3.53 at best frequency and 5.15 at 130 Hz (P < 0.0002). Conclusion: Optimization of frequency setting for each patient can improve gait and that each patient may have a different optimal frequency.
AIM: To study the impact of trajectory parameters on Microelectrode recording during Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation surgery in PD patients MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective ...study. On the day of surgery MRI was taken with frame on which planning was done using stereocalc and navigation systems and final coordinates of X, Y, Z, mid sagittal angle, axial angles were obtained. During surgery Microelectrode recording (MER) was done and with bed side examination final lead placement decided. Impact of trajectory angles on MER was studied using appropriate statistical analysis. RESULTS: Among 40 patients studied,mean age of patients and duration of disease were 55.65years and 7.95 years. Mean UPDRS OFF and ON scores were 60.7 and 15.4 respectively and mean MOCA score was 26.6. Distribution of type of recording differs significantly across mid sagittal angles among <15o vs >15o (P <0.05). Group of <15o for midsagittal angle and >75o for axial angle had highest percentage (60%) showing no recording when compared to others. Significantly higher proportion of cases with higher duration of PD had higher incidence of no recording and vice-versa (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: The study found a correlation between approach angle and the quality of MER. Results showed that a midsagittal angle > 15o and an axial angle < 75o produced better MERs. Although not statistically significant, this could suggest approach angles may have a role to achieve good microelectrode recordings. Larger prospective studies may be helpful to understand this further.
Highlights • We conducted a prospective study over 2 years period. • Thirty patients with status epilepticus and cluster of seizures are included. • Diffusion weighted imaging was done in 24 h after ...the end of last seizure. • The incidence of periictal diffusion weighted imaging abnormalities is 66%. • The duration of seizures/status strongly correlated with the imaging abnormality.
Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an accepted modality of treatment in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Although DBS was approved in advanced PD, it is being done in early PD as ...well. It was mainly developed to help the patients of PD to overcome the adverse motor effects associated with treatment and treatment failure. Objective: The objective is to study the efficacy of subthalamic nucleus (STN)-DBS procedure in patients with PD. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective, single-center, follow-up observational study using a direct, structured interview of 40 selected PD patients. Preoperative assessment using Unified PD Rating Scale-III (UPDRS-III), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 were done. All the patients underwent DBS. Postoperatively, similar assessment was done during follow-up period of 6 months. The results were analyzed using Student's t-test. Results: The total score of UPDRS-III was reduced by 35% after STN-DBS intervention which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). STN-DBS intervention was successful in significantly reducing all UPDRS-III subscores but failed to reduce the scores in case of postural stability. MOCA scores of the patients were not found to be affected by STN-DBS intervention (P = 0.1466). Similar findings were also observed for MOCA subscores, but there was significant improvement of verbal fluency in all patients. Quality of life(QoL) improved significantly in all patients after STN-DBS intervention in all areas. Lower baseline UPDRS-III scores were found to enhance the QoL both in "off" and "on" state. However, prolonged disease duration and older age at PD onset were found to be hampering factors in the improvement of QoL. Conclusions: STN-DBS is a safe procedure and can be performed in all patients of PD who develop disabling motor fluctuations to improve their QoL irrespective early or advanced disease.
In this study, seaweed extracts were extracted from two seaweeds viz. Sargassum swartzii (brown seaweed) (SSE) and Kappaphycus alvarezii (red seaweed) (KAE). The seaweed extracts SSE and KAE were ...comparatively analyzed to assess the growth, yield, phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity of Vigna unguiculata. It was observed that the 3% SSE spray significantly improved the shoot length (33 cm), number of leaves (28), yield (40 g/pot), total phenolic content (36.64 µg GAE/g FW), protein (0.42 mg/g) and flavonoids (7.36 µg QCE/g FW) compared to the control. The DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity was also high in 3% SSE spray. The major antioxidant compound was identified using methanolic extracts of Vigna unguiculata through GC-MS analysis. The results suggested that application of brown seaweed extract (SSE) with the concentration of 3% can significantly improve the phytochemical content and antioxidant activity in Vigna unguiculata thus enhancing its nutritional quality.
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•Sargassum swartzii extract (SSE) significantly enhanced plant growth and yield.•SSE significantly improves the phenolic and flavonoid content in Vigna unguiculata.•There were increases in the antioxidant activity following SSE treatments.•The major antioxidant compound was identified in cowpea extract using GC-MS.
Introduction Hirayama disease (HD) is a benign self-limiting motor neuron disease, most commonly occurring in young males. The disease has an insidious onset that affects T1, C8, and C7 myotomes. HD ...is more common in Japan and Asian countries, and rare in the western population. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the best technique for the diagnosis of this entity. Early diagnosis is important as the patients can be advised to limit neck flexion movements to arrest the progression of the disease. Any clinically suspected case of Hirayama disease should undergo flexion MRI as conventional neutral MRI may miss findings in a few cases. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the usefulness of flexion MR imaging and laminodural space (LDS) measurement in young patients with clinical and electroneuromyography (ENMG) definite Hirayama disease. Materials and methods This is a retrospective observational study of 15 patients with clinical and ENMG definite Hirayama disease who were referred to the Department of Radiology. These patients underwent MRI of cervical spine in neutral position and with neck flexion of 30°-40°. In neutral MRI, atrophy and T2-weighted hyperintensities in the cord were noted. In flexion MRI, the maximum forward shifting of the posterior dural sac, also known as the LDS, was noted along with other parameters. Observation The mean age of the study population was 21 ± 3.36 years. Out of 15 patients, 14 were males and one was female; 14 patients (93.3%) had an involvement of unilateral upper extremity while one patient (6.6%) had asymmetric bilateral involvement. Straightening of cervical spinal curvature and cord atrophy was seen in 14 (93.3%) and 12 (80%) patients, respectively, on neutral position MRI. Intramedullary cervical cord T2-weighted hyperintensities were noted in eight patients (53.3%). Loss of the dural attachment and forward shifting of the posterior dural sac with prominent posterior epidural space was noted in all patients (100%). At the maximum forward shift of cord, the LDS ranged from 3.1 to 7.0 mm, with a mean of 5.38 ± 1.13 mm. Epidural flow voids were noted in 86.6% of cases. Conclusion Flexion MRI plays a very important role in confirming the diagnosis of Hirayama disease in clinically suspected cases. Anterior displacement of posterior dura matter and widening of LDS is noted in all cases in our study. Even though findings like cord atrophy and T2 hyperintensities are seen in conventional neutral MRI, these findings are not seen in all cases. So flexion MRI increases diagnostic confidence by showing increased LDS, which is a characteristic finding in Hirayama disease.
Cross-cultural research in organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has primarily focused on testing the generalizability of various OCB dimensions in different cultures, while attempting to unearth ...any culture-specific OCB notions that may arise from the values of a particular culture. But with the contemporary workplace becoming increasingly multicultural, this research attempts to move beyond the study of OCB in culturally homogenous environments and investigates its manifestation in a multicultural context. This study proposes cultural intelligence (CQ) as one of the antecedents of OCB, which enables individuals in foreign cultures to understand the perceptions of OCB in that particular culture, and posits that individuals with high levels of CQ exhibit OCB in multicultural environments. Furthermore, this study investigates the moderating effect of cultural distance (CD) on the relationship between CQ and OCB to test whether culturally similar or different environments strengthen or weaken this relationship. The study draws upon the trait activation theory to test the hypotheses under investigation. Data for this study were collected from 513 expatriates of 31 different nationalities working in a multicultural environment and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that CQ had a positive impact on OCB, but CD did not have any impact on the CQ-OCB relationship. The findings of this study have important implications for human resource managers managing a culturally diverse workforce.
Job transfers within the country can lead to adjustment issues, similar to what expatriates face, especially in the case of highly diverse countries, where a host of sub-cultures exist with distinct ...cultural practices within a single national culture. Intra-national variations in terms of language, ethnicity, food, clothing, economic development, geographic regions or urban-rural differences can be as significant as cross-cultural differences and cause barriers to social integration. Thus, it becomes important to equip employees with cross-cultural capabilities when they are deployed to a culturally distinct part of the country. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of cultural intelligence (CQ) as a critical capability that can enable the cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) of employees in a domestic context. Participants of this study consisted of employees from the information technology sector of India, who were transferred to a different state within the country in the past 1-month. They were further categorized into those working in culturally homogenous versus heterogeneous environments. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire. The hypotheses under study were tested using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that CQ enabled the adjustment of employees within the domestic context. Furthermore, the CQ-CCA relationship was found to be positively moderated by intra-national diversity. While the ability of CQ to predict outcomes in cross-cultural scenarios has already been explored in employee mobility literature, this paper addresses the issues of intra-national diversity and domestic adjustment within the CQ framework, and establishes the usefulness of CQ to overcome the challenges put forth by intra-national differences and within-country cultural variations.
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