A high-dimensional mediation model for a neuroimaging mediator: Integrating clinical, neuroimaging, and neurocognitive data to mitigate late effects in pediatric cancer.

Pediatric cancer treatment, especially for brain tumors, can have profound and complicated late effects. With the survival rates increasing because of improved detection and treatment, a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of current treatments on neurocognitive function and brain structure is critically needed. A frontline medulloblastoma clinical trial (SJMB03) has collected data, including treatment, clinical, neuroimaging, and cognitive variables.

Revealing Opinions for COVID-19 Questions Using a Context Retriever, Opinion Aggregator, and Question-Answering Model: Model Development Study.

Background: COVID-19 has challenged global public health because it is highly contagious and can be lethal. Numerous ongoing and recently published studies about the disease have emerged. However, the research regarding COVID-19 is largely ongoing and inconclusive.

A Bayesian Vector Autoregressive Model with Nonignorable Missingness in Dependent Variables and Covariates: Development, Evaluation, and Application to Family Processes.

Intensive longitudinal designs involving repeated assessments of constructs often face the problems of nonignorable attrition and selected omission of responses on particular occasions. However, time series models, such as vector autoregressive (VAR) models, are often fit to these data without consideration of nonignorable missingness. We introduce a Bayesian model that simultaneously represents the over-time dependencies in multivariate, multiple-subject time series data via a VAR model, and possible ignorable and nonignorable missingness in the data.

Noninferiority testing for matched-pair ordinal data with misclassification.

New treatments that are noninferior or equivalent to-but not necessarily superior to-the reference treatment may still be beneficial to patients because they have fewer side effects, are more convenient, take less time, or cost less. The noninferiority test is widely used in medical research to provide guidance in such situation. In addition, categorical variables are frequently encountered in medical research, such as in studies involving patient-reported outcomes.

Zero-Inflated Regime-Switching Stochastic Differential Equation Models for Highly Unbalanced Multivariate, Multi-Subject Time-Series Data.

In the study of human dynamics, the behavior under study is often operationalized by tallying the frequencies and intensities of a collection of lower-order processes. For instance, the higher-order construct of negative affect may be indicated by the occurrence of crying, frowning, and other verbal and nonverbal expressions of distress, fear, anger, and other negative feelings. However, because of idiosyncratic differences in how negative affect is expressed, some of the lower-order processes may be characterized by sparse occurrences in some individuals.

A comparison of Bayesian and frequentist model selection methods for factor analysis models.

We compare the performances of well-known frequentist model fit indices (MFIs) and several Bayesian model selection criteria (MCC) as tools for cross-loading selection in factor analysis under low to moderate sample sizes, cross-loading sizes, and possible violations of distributional assumptions. The Bayesian criteria considered include the Bayes factor (BF), Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), Deviance Information Criterion (DIC), a Bayesian leave-one-out with Pareto smoothed importance sampling (LOO-PSIS), and a Bayesian variable selection method using the spike-and-slab prior (SSP; Lu, Chow, & Loken, 2016). Simulation results indicate that of the Bayesian measures considered, the BF and the BIC showed the best balance between true positive rates and false positive rates, followed closely by the SSP.

Bayesian longitudinal low-rank regression models for imaging genetic data from longitudinal studies.

To perform a joint analysis of multivariate neuroimaging phenotypes and candidate genetic markers obtained from longitudinal studies, we develop a Bayesian longitudinal low-rank regression (L2R2) model. The L2R2 model integrates three key methodologies: a low-rank matrix for approximating the high-dimensional regression coefficient matrices corresponding to the genetic main effects and their interactions with time, penalized splines for characterizing the overall time effect, and a sparse factor analysis model coupled with random effects for capturing within-subject spatio-temporal correlations of longitudinal phenotypes. Posterior computation proceeds via an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm.

c-Myc suppresses miR-451⊣YWTAZ/AKT axis via recruiting HDAC3 in acute myeloid leukemia.

Aberrant activation of c-Myc plays an important oncogenic role via regulating a series of coding and non-coding genes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Histone deacetylases (HDACs) can remove acetyl group from histone and regulate gene expression via changing chromatin structure. Here, we found miR-451 is abnormally down-regulated in AML patient samples; c-Myc recruits HDAC3 to form a transcriptional suppressor complex, co-localizes on the miR-451 promoter, epigenetically inhibits its transcription and finally induces its downregulation in AML.

The PU.1-Modulated MicroRNA-22 Is a Regulator of Monocyte/Macrophage Differentiation and Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

MicroRNA-22 (miR-22) is emerging as a critical regulator in organ development and various cancers. However, its role in normal hematopoiesis and leukaemogenesis remains unclear. Here, we detected its increased expression during monocyte/macrophage differentiation of HL-60, THP1 cells and CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, and confirmed that PU.

Bayesian Factor Analysis as a Variable-Selection Problem: Alternative Priors and Consequences.

Factor analysis is a popular statistical technique for multivariate data analysis. Developments in the structural equation modeling framework have enabled the use of hybrid confirmatory/exploratory approaches in which factor-loading structures can be explored relatively flexibly within a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) framework. Recently, Muthén & Asparouhov proposed a Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) approach to explore the presence of cross loadings in CFA models.

Bayesian Analysis of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Dynamics with Application to Irregularly Spaced Sparse Data.

Ambulatory cardiovascular (CV) measurements provide valuable insights into individuals' health conditions in "real-life," everyday settings. Current methods of modeling ambulatory CV data do not consider the dynamic characteristics of the full data set and their relationships with covariates such as caffeine use and stress. We propose a stochastic differential equation (SDE) in the form of a dual nonlinear Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) model with person-specific covariates to capture the morning surge and nighttime dipping dynamics of ambulatory CV data.

ZFP36L1 promotes monocyte/macrophage differentiation by repressing CDK6.

RNA binding proteins (RBPs)-mediated post-transcriptional control has been implicated in influencing various aspects of RNA metabolism and playing important roles in mammalian development and pathological diseases. However, the functions of specific RBPs and the molecular mechanisms through which they act in monocyte/macrophage differentiation remain to be determined. In this study, through bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation, we identify that ZFP36L1, a member of ZFP36 zinc finger protein family, exhibits significant decrease in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients compared with normal controls and remarkable time-course increase during monocyte/macrophage differentiation of PMA-induced THP-1 and HL-60 cells as well as induction culture of CD34(+) hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs).

PU.1-Regulated Long Noncoding RNA lnc-MC Controls Human Monocyte/Macrophage Differentiation through Interaction with MicroRNA 199a-5p.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important regulators in mammalian development, but little is known about their roles in monocyte/macrophage differentiation. Here we identified a long noncoding monocytic RNA (lnc-MC) that exhibits increased expression during monocyte/macrophage differentiation of THP-1 and HL-60 cells as well as CD34(+) hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) and is transcriptionally activated by PU.1.

miR-199a-5p inhibits monocyte/macrophage differentiation by targeting the activin A type 1B receptor gene and finally reducing C/EBPα expression.

miRNAs are short, noncoding RNAs that regulate expression of target genes at post-transcriptional levels and function in many important cellular processes, including differentiation, proliferation, etc. In this study, we observed down-regulation of miR-199a-5p during monocyte/macrophage differentiation of HL-60 and THP-1 cells, as well as human CD34(+) HSPCs. This down-regulation of miR-199a-5p resulted from the up-regulation of PU.

Hypoxia induces peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ expression via HIF-1-dependent mechanisms in HepG2 cell line.

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) can activate expression of a broad range of genes in response to hypoxia. It has been shown that the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) are influenced by changes in oxygen tension, and PPARγ plays a critical role in metabolism regulation and cancers. In this research, we observed an increased PPARγ mRNA and protein levels in company with increased HIF-1 protein levels in HepG2 cells in hypoxia as compared with in normoxia.

A Bayesian modeling approach for generalized semiparametric structural equation models.

In behavioral, biomedical, and psychological studies, structural equation models (SEMs) have been widely used for assessing relationships between latent variables. Regression-type structural models based on parametric functions are often used for such purposes. In many applications, however, parametric SEMs are not adequate to capture subtle patterns in the functions over the entire range of the predictor variable.

[Quality level assessment of lowly efficient Tamarix chinensis secondary shrubs in Laizhou Bay of Yellow River Delta].

Taking the Tamarix chinensis secondary shrubs in Laizhou Bay of Yellow River Delta as test objects, and by using synthetic factor method, this paper studied the main factors causing the lowly efficiency of T. chinensis secondary shrubs as well as the main parameters for the classification of lowly efficient T. chinensis secondary shrubs.

Emodin can induce K562 cells to erythroid differentiation and improve the expression of globin genes.

In China, the traditional Chinese medicine "YiSui ShenXu Granule" has been used for treating β-thalassemia over 20 years and known to be effective in clinic. Several purified components from "YiSui ShenXu Granule" are tested in K562 cells to reveal its effect on globin expression and erythroid differentiation, and one of the purified components, emodin, was demonstrated to increase the expression of α-, ε-, γ-globin, CD235a, and CD71 in K562 cells. Moreover, the increase of their expression is emodin concentration-dependent.

[Roles of soil dissolved organic carbon in carbon cycling of terrestrial ecosystems: a review].

Soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an active fraction of soil organic carbon pool, playing an important role in the carbon cycling of terrestrial ecosystems. In view of the importance of the carbon cycling, this paper summarized the roles of soil DOC in the soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gases emission, and in considering of our present ecological and environmental problems such as soil acidification and climate warming, discussed the effects of soil properties, environmental factors, and human activities on the soil DOC as well as the response mechanisms of the DOC. This review could be helpful to the further understanding of the importance of soil DOC in the carbon cycling of terrestrial ecosystems and the reduction of greenhouse gases emission.

[Effects of water-salt stresses on seedling growth and activities of antioxidative enzyme of Suaeda salsa in coastal wetlands of the Yellow River Delta].

The halophyte Suaeda salsa is the pioneer plant and is used for the degraded coastal wetland in Yellow River Delta. The water-salt stress is the most important factor for ecological restoration to degraded coastal wetland. To understand the adaptive mechanism of Suaeda salsa to water-salt stresses, the induced effects of different groundwater table depths (0, -10, -20, -30 cm) and salt stress (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%) on seedlings of Suaeda salsa plant were characterized by the growth parameters of plant height, branch number and biomass of different organs and biological indices of leaf chlorophyll content, the activities of SOD, CAT, the leaf content of MDA and protein.

PEMT G523A (V175M) is associated with sporadic Alzheimer's disease in a Chinese population.

There is evidence that increased concentrations of circulating homocysteine are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) is an important catalyst involved in the production of homocysteine. We investigated the association of a functional single nucleotide polymorphism (rs7946) in PEMT with sporadic AD risk in a Han Chinese population that included 386 AD patients and 366 controls.