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Optimizing dsRNA sequences for RNAi in pest control and research with the dsRIP web platform
No full textRNA interference (RNAi) is a tool for studying gene function and has emerged as a promising eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. RNAi relies on delivering double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which is processed into small interfering RNA (siRNA) to silence genes. However, so far, knowledge and tools for optimizing the dsRNA sequences for maximum efficacy are based on human data, which might not be optimal for insect pest control
Bridging the Gap: Introducing Joint Models for Longitudinal and Time-to-event Data in the Social Sciences
No full textIn time-to-event analyses in social sciences, there often exist endogenous
time-varying variables, where the event status is correlated with the
trajectory of the covariate itself. Ignoring this endogeneity will result in
biased estimates. In the field of biostatistics this issue is tackled by
estimating a joint model for longitudinal and time-to-event data as it handles
endogenous covariates properly. This method is underused in the social sciences
even though it is very useful to model longitudinal and time-to-event processes
appropriately. Therefore, this paper provides a gentle introduction to the
method of joint models and highlights its advantages for social science
research questions. We demonstrate its usage on an example on marital
satisfaction and marriage dissolution and compare the results with classical
approaches such as a time-to-event model with a time-varying covariate. In
addition to demonstrating the method, our results contribute to the
understanding of the relationship between marriage satisfaction, marriage
dissolution and other covariates
Reconstruction and identification of pairs of collimated τ -leptons decaying hadronically using s = 13 TeV pp collision data with the ATLAS detector
No full textAbstract This paper describes an algorithm for reconstructing and identifying a highly collimated hadronically decaying τ -lepton pair with low transverse momentum. When two τ -leptons are highly collimated, their visible decay products might overlap, degrading the reconstruction performance for each of the τ -leptons. A dedicated treatment attempting to tag the τ -lepton pair as a single object is required. The reconstruction algorithm is based on a large radius jet and its associated two leading subjets, and the identification uses a boosted decision tree to discriminate between signatures from τ + τ - systems and those arising from QCD jets. The efficiency of the identification algorithm is measured in Z γ events using proton–proton collision data at s = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider between 2015 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb - 1 . The resulting data-to-simulation scale factors are close to unity with uncertainties ranging from 26 to 37%
Rapid assessment of lychee and mango fruit quality using hyperspectral imaging
No full texthttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000981 Horticulture Innovation Australia Lt
Holocene vegetation and environmental changes of peat ecosystems in southwestern and northeastern Amazonia
No full texthttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004543 China Scholarship Counci
Sensitivity analysis for reporting bias on the time-dependent summary receiver operating characteristics curve in meta-analysis of prognosis studies with time-to-event outcomes
No full textAbstract In prognosis studies with time-to-event outcomes, the survivals of groups with high/low biomarker expression are often estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method, and the difference between groups is measured by the hazard ratios (HRs). Since the high/low expressions are usually determined by study-specific cutoff values, synthesizing only HRs for summarizing the prognostic capacity of a biomarker brings heterogeneity in the meta-analysis. The time-dependent summary receiver operating characteristics (SROC) curve was proposed as a cutoff-free summary of the prognostic capacity, extended from the SROC curve in meta-analysis of diagnostic studies. However, estimates of the time-dependent SROC curve may be threatened by reporting bias in that studies with significant outcomes, such as HRs, are more likely to be published and selected in meta-analyses. Under this conjecture, this paper proposes a sensitivity analysis method for quantifying and adjusting reporting bias on the time-dependent SROC curve. We model the publication process determined by the significance of the HRs and introduce a sensitivity analysis method based on the conditional likelihood constrained by some expected proportions of published studies. Simulation studies showed that the proposed method could reduce reporting bias given the correctly-specified marginal selection probability. The proposed method is illustrated on the real-world meta-analysis of Ki67 for breast cancer
Supplementation with specific branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) affects mouse sperm parameters and testicular apoptotic gene expression
No full textSummary In Western diets, high consumption of meat and dairy products, known to be rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile), and valine (Val), as well as BCAAs supplementation itself, may have unforeseen consequences on sperm quality. In addition, bodybuilders are increasingly resorting to BCAA supplementation to build-up their muscle mass. This study aimed to assess the effect of dietary BCAAs, provided alone or in combination, on semen parameters, apoptotic gene expression, and blood amino acid (AA) profiles. To address this question and determine whether these different BCAAs have a distinct impact on sperm quality and testicular homeostasis, fifty NMRI mature male mice were exposed or not to BCAAs supplementations (control diet: CTR; CTR + Leu supplementation; CTR + Ile supplementation; CTR + Val supplementation; CTR + all three BCAA supplementation). Only valine supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in sperm concentration and viability. In addition, only valine supplementation was associated with a dramatic increase in sperm immotility. The Bax/Bcl2 ratio, an indicator of apoptosis, was found to be significantly higher in the testes of BCAA-supplemented animals when compared with the other groups. Caspase3 expression was also significantly higher in the testes of BCAA-supplemented and Val-supplemented animals. There were no significant differences in plasma AA profiles between groups. Thus, amongst BCAAs, valine supplementation appears to carry the greatest effect on sperm functional parameters and testicular apoptotic status
