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We introduce a new iterative root-finding method for complex polynomials, dubbed Newton-Ellipsoid method. It is inspired by the Ellipsoid method, a classical method in optimization, and a property of Newton’s Method derived in [7],... more
We introduce a new iterative root-finding method for complex polynomials, dubbed Newton-Ellipsoid method. It is inspired by the Ellipsoid method, a classical method in optimization, and a property of Newton’s Method derived in [7], according to which at each complex number a half-space can be found containing a root. Newton-Ellipsoid method combines this property, bounds on zeros, together with the plane-cutting properties of the Ellipsoid Method. We present computational results for several examples, as well as corresponding polynomiography. Polynomiography refers to algorithmic visualization of root-finding. Newton’s method is the first member of the infinite family of iterations, the basic family. We also consider general versions of this ellipsoid approach where Newton’s method is replaced by a higher-order member of the family such as Halley’s method.
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Disruptions of beta-catenin and the canonical Wnt pathway are well documented in cancer. However, little is known of the non-canonical branch of the Wnt pathway. In this study, we investigate the transcript level patterns of genes in the... more
Disruptions of beta-catenin and the canonical Wnt pathway are well documented in cancer. However, little is known of the non-canonical branch of the Wnt pathway. In this study, we investigate the transcript level patterns of genes in the Wnt pathway in squamous cell lung cancer using reverse-transcriptase (RT)-PCR. It was found that over half of the samples examined exhibited dysregulated gene expression of multiple components of the non-canonical branch of the WNT pathway. In the cases where beta catenin ( CTNNB1) was not over-expressed, we identified strong relationships of expression between wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 5A ( WNT5A)/ frizzled homolog 2 ( FZD2), frizzled homolog 3 ( FZD3)/ dishevelled 2 ( DVL2), and low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 ( LRP5)/ secreted frizzled-related protein 4 ( SFRP4). This is one of the first studies to demonstrate expression of genes in the non-canonical pathway in normal lung tissue and its disruption in lu...
Research Interests: Bioinformatics, Evolutionary Biology, Informatics, Genomics, Computational Biology, and 15 moreBiotechnology, Cancer, Biomarkers, Biology, Biomedical informatics, Cancer Research, Medicine, Gene expression, Bioscience, Lung Cancer, Microarray, Clinical Medicine, Biological, Genetic modification, and Evidence Based
We introduce a new iterative root-finding method for complex polynomials, dubbed {\it Newton-Ellipsoid} method. It is inspired by the Ellipsoid method, a classical method in optimization, and a property of Newton's Method derived in... more
We introduce a new iterative root-finding method for complex polynomials, dubbed {\it Newton-Ellipsoid} method. It is inspired by the Ellipsoid method, a classical method in optimization, and a property of Newton's Method derived in \cite{kalFTA}, according to which at each complex number a half-space can be found containing a root. Newton-Ellipsoid method combines this property, bounds on zeros, together with the plane-cutting properties of the Ellipsoid Method. We present computational results for several examples, as well as corresponding polynomiography. Polynomiography refers to algorithmic visualization of root-finding. Newton's method is the first member of the infinite family of iterations, the {\it basic family}. We also consider general versions of this ellipsoid approach where Newton's method is replaced by a higher-order member of the family such as Halley's method.
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HIV-1 is transmitted primarily across mucosal surfaces and rapidly spreads within the intestinal mucosa during acute infection. The type I interferons (IFNs) likely serve as a first line of defense, but the relative expression and... more
HIV-1 is transmitted primarily across mucosal surfaces and rapidly spreads within the intestinal mucosa during acute infection. The type I interferons (IFNs) likely serve as a first line of defense, but the relative expression and antiviral properties of the 12 IFNα subtypes against HIV-1 infection of mucosal tissues remain unknown. Here, we evaluated the expression of all IFNα subtypes in HIV-1-exposed plasmacytoid dendritic cells by next-generation sequencing. We then determined the relative antiviral potency of each IFNα subtype ex vivo using the human intestinal Lamina Propria Aggregate Culture model. IFNα subtype transcripts from the centromeric half of the IFNA gene complex were highly expressed in pDCs following HIV-1 exposure. There was an inverse relationship between IFNA subtype expression and potency. IFNα8, IFNα6 and IFNα14 were the most potent in restricting HIV-1 infection. IFNα2, the clinically-approved subtype, and IFNα1 were both highly expressed but exhibited relat...
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The authors describe their ongoing work on, and future plans for, searches in bulk matter for fractional charge elementary particles and very massive elementary particles. Their primary interest is in searching for such particles that may... more
The authors describe their ongoing work on, and future plans for, searches in bulk matter for fractional charge elementary particles and very massive elementary particles. Their primary interest is in searching for such particles that may have been produced in the early universe and may be found in the more primeval matter available in the solar system: meteorites, material from
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Drugs that disrupt microtubule dynamics include some of the most important of cancer chemotherapies. While these drugs, which include paclitaxel (Taxol), are known to invoke the mitotic checkpoint, the factors that determine cancer cell... more
Drugs that disrupt microtubule dynamics include some of the most important of cancer chemotherapies. While these drugs, which include paclitaxel (Taxol), are known to invoke the mitotic checkpoint, the factors that determine cancer cell killing remain incompletely characterized. Cells that are relatively resistant to killing by these drugs block robustly in mitosis, whereas cells sensitive to killing block only transiently in mitosis before undergoing nuclear fragmentation and death. Passage through mitosis was an absolute requirement of drug-induced death, because death was markedly reduced in cells blocked at both G(1)-S and G(2). Cell killing was at least in part linked to the absence or inactivation of BubR1, a kinetochore-associated phosphoprotein that mediates the mitotic checkpoint. Sensitivity to paclitaxel correlated with decreased BubR1 protein expression in human cancer cell lines, including those derived from breast and ovarian cancers. Silencing of BubR1 via RNA interfe...
Research Interests: Cancer Research, Ovarian Cancer, Molecular Biology Cancer, Mitosis, Cell line, and 15 moreHumans, Female, Drug Resistance, Cell Death, Cancer Chemotherapy, Paclitaxel, Microtubules, Mitotic Catastrophe, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, Cell Cycle Proteins, Cell Survival, Interphase, Breast Neoplasms, Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences, and Ovarian Neoplasms
Research Interests: Immunology, Macrophages, Innate immunity, Gene expression, Nature, and 15 moreSignal Transduction, Toll Like Receptors, Ubiquitin, Mice, Septic Shock, Animals, NF-kappa B, Proteins, Transcription Factor, Enzyme, Lipopolysaccharides, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Cysteine endopeptidases, Protein requirement, and Tumor necrosis factor
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The deposition of colloidal particles onto the collector surfaces of porous media is investigated using the Brownian dynamics simulation method. The pore structure in a filter bed was characterized by the constricted tube model. The... more
The deposition of colloidal particles onto the collector surfaces of porous media is investigated using the Brownian dynamics simulation method. The pore structure in a filter bed was characterized by the constricted tube model. The effects of various shapes of the total interaction energy curves of DLVO theory and the effects of different particle diameters on the collection efficiencies of particles are examined. The simulation results show that the particle collection efficiency is strongly dependent on the geometry of the tube and on the shape of the total interaction energy curve. In a comparison with the available experimental measurements of the filter coefficient, it is found that the present model can give a smaller discrepancy than that of the convective diffusion model in the unfavorable deposition region.
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Background Laribacter hongkongensis is a newly discovered, facultative anaerobic, Gram-negative, motile, sea gull-shaped rod associated with freshwater fish borne gastroenteritis and traveler's diarrhea. A highly reproducible and... more
Background Laribacter hongkongensis is a newly discovered, facultative anaerobic, Gram-negative, motile, sea gull-shaped rod associated with freshwater fish borne gastroenteritis and traveler's diarrhea. A highly reproducible and discriminative typing system is essential for better understanding of the epidemiology of L. hongkongensis. In this study, a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) system was developed for L. hongkongensis. The system was used to characterize 146 L. hongkongensis isolates, including 39 from humans and 107 from fish. Results Fragments (362 to 504 bp) of seven housekeeping genes were amplified and sequenced. Among the 3068 bp of the seven loci, 332 polymorphic sites were observed. The median number of alleles at each locus was 34 [range 22 (ilvC) to 45 (thiC)]. All seven genes showed very low d n /d s ratios of < 0.04, indicating that no strong positive selective pressure is present. A total of 97 different sequence types (STs) were assigned to the 146 isol...
Research Interests: Polymorphism, Biology, Fish Diseases, Medicine, Diarrhea, and 14 moreBiological Sciences, Phylogeny, Travel, Humans, Animals, Fishes, Gastroenteritis, Freshwater Fish, Gram-negative bacteria, Type System, Fresh water, Linkage Disequilibrium, Multilocus sequence typing, and Medical and Health Sciences
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Electrophoresis of a spherical particle normal to an air-water interface is considered theoretically in this study. The presence of the air-water interface is found to reduce the particle mobility in general, especially when the double... more
Electrophoresis of a spherical particle normal to an air-water interface is considered theoretically in this study. The presence of the air-water interface is found to reduce the particle mobility in general, especially when the double layer is very thick. This boundary effect diminishes as the double layer gets very thin. The higher the surface potential, the more significant the reduction of mobility due to the polarization effect from the double layer deformation when the particle is in motion. Local extrema are observed in the mobility profiles with varying double layer thickness as a result. Comparison with a solid planar boundary is made. It is found that the particle mobility near an air-water interface is smaller than that near a solid one when the double layer is thick, and vice versa when the double layer is thin, with a critical threshold value of double layer thickness corresponding roughly to the touch of the interface. The reason behind it is clearly explained as the buildup of electric potential at the air-water interface, which reduces the driving force as a result.