• American Studies
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.99-131
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• 2018

The United States of America is privileged in that social stratification is not directly linked to the division of powers. Nonetheless, America endured the devastating Civil War only to consolidate her national identity when a nation was not defined. In fact, state governments preexisted as a sovereign long before the federal government came into existence as a national government. As a consequence, intergovernmental relations have persistently been contested long after the Civil War ended. In contrast, the European Union was founded on the political will to establish regional integration such that her member states would never repeat the bloodshed in catastrophic wars. Since the principle of subsidiarity precipitated political endeavor in regional integration, the EU developed into a bifurcated system of transnational and international organizations. In this paper, I evaluate the US and the EU by applying the perspective of federalism in which separation and integration are perennially at tension.

• Journal of Information Processing Systems
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.652-662
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• 2023

Identifying highly discriminating genes is a critical step in tumor recognition tasks based on microarray gene expression profile data and machine learning. Gene selection based on tree models has been the subject of several studies. However, these methods are based on a single-tree model, often not robust to ultra-highdimensional microarray datasets, resulting in the loss of useful information and unsatisfactory classification accuracy. Motivated by the limitations of single-tree-based gene selection, in this study, ensemble gene selection methods based on multiple-tree models were studied to improve the classification performance of tumor identification. Specifically, we selected the three most representative tree models: ID3, random forest, and gradient boosting decision tree. Each tree model selects top-n genes from the microarray dataset based on its intrinsic mechanism. Subsequently, three ensemble gene selection methods were investigated, namely multipletree model intersection, multiple-tree module union, and multiple-tree module cross-union, were investigated. Experimental results on five benchmark public microarray gene expression datasets proved that the multiple tree module union is significantly superior to gene selection based on a single tree model and other competitive gene selection methods in classification accuracy.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.625-634
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• 2024

The thrust of this paper is to extend the notion of Plithogenic vertex domination to the basic operations in Plithogenic product fuzzy graphs (PPFGs). When the graph is a complete PPFG, Plithogenic vertex domination numbers (PVDNs) of its Plithogenic complement and perfect Plithogenic complement are the same, since the connectivities are the same in both the graphs. Since extra edges are added to the graph in the case of perfect Plithogenic complement, the PVDN of perfect Plithogenic complement is always less than or equal to that of Plithogenic complement, when the graph under consideration is an incomplete PPFG. The maximum and minimum values of the PVDN of the intersection or the union of PPFGs depend upon the attribute values given to P-vertices, the number of attribute values and the connectivities in the corresponding PPFGs. The novelty in this study is the investigation of the variations and the relations between PVDNs in the operations of Plithogenic complement, perfect Plithogenic complement, union and intersection of PPFGs.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.93-103
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• 2009

Purpose: We evaluated the outcomes of surgical reconstructions using recycled autograft augmented with VFG for bone defects caused by tumor resections. Materials and Methods: Ten patients with a malignant or locally aggressive bone tumor who were managed with recycled autograft augmented with VFG and followed up minimum 1 year were evaluated for bone union, functional result and complications. The influence of various factors on bone union and functional outcomes were also analyzed. Results: Bone unions were obtained at 13 of 20 junctions. Average union time was 3.7 months at metaphyseal junctions and 8 months at diaphyseal junctions (P<0.05). At diaphyseal junctions, younger aged group and intramedullary location group showed earlier bone union (P<0.05). The mean functional score was 81%. There were 3 nonunions, 4 delayed unions and 2 recycled bone resorption combined with fractures. Conclusion: To obtain excellent results, proper microvascular technique, sufficient length of VFG bridging both junctions, stable internal fixation and protection of reconstructed bone until union are necessary.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7251-7256
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• 2013

Objectives: To estimate the proportion of liver cancer cases and deaths due to infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), aflatoxin exposure, alcohol drinking and smoking in China in 2005. Study design: Systemic assessment of the burden of five modifiable risk factors on the occurrence of liver cancer in China using the population attributable fraction. Methods: We estimated the population attributable fraction of liver cancer caused by five modifiable risk factors using the prevalence data around 1990 and data on relative risks from meta-analyses, and large-scale observational studies. Liver cancer mortality data were from the 3rd National Death Causes Survey, and data on liver cancer incidence were estimated from the mortality data from cancer registries in China and a mortality/incidence ratio calculated. Results: We estimated that HBV infection was responsible for 65.9% of liver cancer deaths in men and 58.4% in women, while HCV was responsible for 27.3% and 28.6% respectively. The fraction of liver cancer deaths attributable to aflatoxin was estimated to be 25.0% for both men and women. Alcohol drinking was responsible for 23.4% of liver cancer deaths in men and 2.2% in women. Smoking was responsible for 18.7% and 1.0%. Overall, 86% of liver cancer mortality and incidence (88% in men and 78% in women) was attributable to these five modifiable risk factors. Conclusions: HBV, HCV, aflatoxin, alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking were responsible for 86% of liver cancer mortality and incidence in China in 2005. Our findings provide useful data for developing guidelines for liver cancer prevention and control in China and other developing countries.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1500-1508
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• 2013

Ebosin, a novel exopolysaccharide produced by Streptomyces sp. 139, has obvious antirheumatic arthritis activity in vivo, and its biosynthesis gene cluster (ste), consisting of 27 open reading frames, has been identified. This paper reports our study of the gene functionality of ste8, the predicted protein product of which is homologous to some bacterial chain length determinant Wzz proteins. For characterization of Ste8, ste8 was cloned and expressed in the mutant strain E. coli 086:H2 (${\Delta}wzz$). The functional complementation of wzz by ste8 was demonstrated by the restoration of wild-type lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and increased levels of serum resistance of E. coli 086:H2 (${\Delta}wzz$) (pET30a-ste8). To examine the function of ste8 in ebosin biosynthesis, the gene was knocked out with a double crossover via homologous recombination. The molecular weight of the ebosin derivative EPS-8m produced by the mutant Streptomyces sp. 139 ($ste8^-$) was much lower than that of ebosin, and the binding activity of EPS-8m for IL-1R decreased significantly compared with ebosin. These results demonstrate that ste8 encodes a chain length determinant (Wzz) that functions in ebosin biosynthesis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1119-1124
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• 2012

Background: The effect and possible mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine, baicalin, on the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in drug-resistant human myeloid leukemia HL-60/ADR cells have been investigated in this current study. Methods: HL-60/ADR cells were treated by 20, 40, $80\;{\mu}mol/L$ baicalin followed by cell cycle analysis at 24h. The mRNA expression level of the apoptosis related gene, Bcl-2 and bad, were measured by RT-PCR on cells treated with $80\;{\mu}mol/L$ baicalin at 12, 24 and 48hr. Western blot was performed to detect the changes in the expression of the proteins related to HL-60/ADR cell apoptosis and the signaling pathway before and after baicalin treatment, including Bcl-2, PARP, Bad, Caspase 3, Akt, p-Akt, NF-${\kappa}B$, p-NF-${\kappa}B$, mTOR and p-mTOR. Results: Sub-G1 peak of HL-60/ADR cells appeared 24 h after $20\;{\mu}mol/L$ baicalin treatment, and the ratio increased as baicalin concentration increased. Cell cycle analysis showed 44.9% G0/G1 phase cells 24 h after baicalin treatment compared to 39.6% in the control group. Cells treated with $80\;{\mu}mol/L$ baicalin displayed a trend in decreasing of Bcl-2 mRNA expression over time. Expression level of the Bcl-2 and PARP proteins decreased significantly while that of the PARP, Caspase-3, and Bad proteins gradually increased. No significant difference in Akt expression was observed between treated and the control groups. However, the expression levels of p-Akt, NF-${\kappa}B$, p-NF-${\kappa}B$, mTOR and p-mTOR decreased significantly in a time-dependent manner. Conclusions: We conclude that baicalin may induce HL-60/ADR cell apoptosis through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3239-3245
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• 2014

Background: College students are recommended as the target groups for catch-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Systematical exploration of awareness, acceptability, and decision-making factors of HPV vaccination among Chinese college students has been limited. Materials and Methods: A multi-center survey was conducted in mainland China between November 2011 and May 2012. College students aged 18-22 years were stratified by their grade, gender, and major for sampling. Socio-demographic and HPV-related information such as knowledge, perceptions, acceptability, and attitudes were collected through a questionnaire. Results: A total of 3,497 undergraduates completed the questionnaire, among which 1,686 were males. The acceptability of the HPV vaccine was high (70.8%). Undergraduates from high-level universities, at lower grade, or with greater prior knowledge of HPV vaccines showed higher acceptability of HPV vaccination ($p_{trend}$ <0.001). Additionally, undergraduates with vaccination experience outside the National Expanded Program on Immunization (OR=1.29; 95%CI: 1.10-1.51) or fear of HPV-related diseases (OR=2.79; 95%CI: 2.28-3.41) were more willing to accept HPV vaccination. General knowledge of HPV vaccine was low among undergraduates, and safety was a major concern (71.05%). The majority of students wished to pay less than 300RMB for HPV vaccine and chose the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention as the most appropriate venue for vaccination. Conclusions: Although most undergraduates demonstrate positive attitudes towards HPV vaccination, challenges pertaining to introduction exist in China. Corresponding proactive education and governmental subsidy to do so are urgently needed by this age-group population. Suggestions and potential strategies indicated may help shape the future HPV vaccination program in China.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5815-5818
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• 2014

For an exact comparison of mRNA transcription in different samples or tissues with real time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), it is crucial to select a suitable internal reference gene. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and beta-actin (ACTB) have been frequently considered as house-keeping genes to normalize for changes in specific gene expression. However, it has been reported that these genes are unsuitable references in some cases, because their transcription is significantly variable under particular experimental conditions and among tissues. The present study was aimed to investigate which reference genes are most suitable for the study of gastric cancer tissues using qRT-PCR. 50 pairs of gastric cancer and corresponding peritumoral tissues were obtained from patients with gastric cancer. Absolute qRT-PCR was employed to detect the expression of GAPDH, ACTB, RPII and 18sRNA in the gastric cancer samples. Comparing gastric cancer with corresponding peritumoral tissues, GAPDH, ACTB and RPII were obviously upregulated 6.49, 5.0 and 3.68 fold, respectively. Yet 18sRNA had no obvious expression change in gastric cancer tissues and the corresponding peritumoral tissues. The expression of GAPDH, ${\beta}$-actin, RPII and 18sRNA showed no obvious changes in normal gastric epithelial cells compared with gastric cancer cell lines. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), a widely used clinical tumor marker, was used as a validation gene. Only when 18sRNA was used as the normalizing gene was CEA obviously elevated in gastric cancer tissues compared with peritumoral tissues. Our data show that 18sRNA is stably expressed in gastric cancer samples and corresponding peritumoral tissues. These observations confirm that there is no universal reference gene and underline the importance of specific optimization of potential reference genes for any experimental condition.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.475-509
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• 2011

Taking 195 Korean businesses and sorting them out according to the unit types, this study looks into how flexibility strategy in labor market, which consists of numerical flexibility and functional flexibility, takes effect on the organization's outcome variable, which in turn consists of productivity, labor-management cooperation, and job security. In addition, the present study analyzes the role of labor union's moderating effect on the relationship among labor market flexibility, labor-management cooperation, and job security. It is found out as a result that numerical flexibility has no meaningful relation with productivity, labor-management cooperation, and job security, while functional flexibility has a considerably positive relation with them. This result confirms the importance of functional flexibility of business strategy in labor market. The West has continuously insisted the importance of functional flexibility, pointing out problems of numerical flexibility. On the other hand, considering that this study has confirmed functional flexibility's meaningful relation, while it has not found out numerical flexibility's negative relation, it is necessary to study further on the relationship between these two kinds of flexibility. The result of analysis on the role of union power's moderating effect confirms only the union power's interaction effect in the relation between numerical flexibility and labor-management cooperation. The possibility of union's opportunistic behavior can be detected in this result.