Local approximations for maximum partial subgraph problem

We deal with MAXH₀-FREE PARTIAL SUBGRAPH. We mainly prove that 3-locally optimum solutions achieve approximation ratio (δ₀+1)/(B+2+ν₀), where B=max_v∈Vd_G(v), δ₀=min_v∈V(H0)d_H0(v) and ν₀=(|V(H₀)|+1)/δ₀. Next, we show that this ratio rises up to 3/(B+1) when H₀=K₃. Finally, we provide hardness results for MAXK₃-FREE PARTIAL SUBGRAPH.     

Evaluating the financial performance of bank branches

We evaluate the financial performance of most of the branch offices of a large European savings bank for a recent accounting period. We employ a complementary pair of nonparametric techniques to evaluate their financial performance, in terms of their ability to conserve on the expenses they incur in building their customer bases and providing customer services. We find variation in the ability of branch offices to perform this task, and agreement on the identity of the laggard branches. We then employ parametric techniques to determine that the list of indicators on which their financial performance is evaluated can be reduced without statistically significant loss of information to bank management. Both findings suggest ways in which the bank can increase the profitability of its branch network. A previous version of this paper was presented at CORE, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, where we received many helpful comments from the audience. We are grateful to three referees for their helpful comments as well.     

Cross-Talk between Overlap Interactions in Biomolecules: A Case Study of the β-Turn Motif

Noncovalent interactions play a pivotal role in regulating protein conformation, stability and dynamics. Among the quantum mechanical (QM) overlap-based noncovalent interactions, n→π* is the best understood with studies ranging from small molecules to β-turns of model proteins such as GB1. However, these investigations do not explore the interplay between multiple overlap interactions in contributing to local structure and stability. In this work, we identify and characterize all noncovalent overlap interactions in the β-turn, an important secondary structural element that facilitates the folding of a polypeptide chain. Invoking a QM framework of natural bond orbitals, we demonstrate the role of several additional interactions such as n→σ* and π→π* that are energetically comparable to or larger than n→π*. We find that these interactions are sensitive to changes in the side chain of the residues in the β-turn of GB1, suggesting that the n→π* may not be the only component in dictating β-turn conformation and stability. Furthermore, a database search of n→σ* and π→π* in the PDB reveals that they are prevalent in most proteins and have significant interaction energies (∼1 kcal/mol). This indicates that all overlap interactions must be taken into account to obtain a comprehensive picture of their contributions to protein structure and energetics. Lastly, based on the extent of QM overlaps and interaction energies, we propose geometric criteria using which these additional interactions can be efficiently tracked in broad database searches.     

Duplex dual-labeled fluorescence probe-based melting curve and endpoint genotyping assays for genotyping of rs2000999 and haptoglobin gene deletion

Haptoglobin (Hp) is a hemoglobin-binding serum glycoprotein. Some variations in the Hp gene (HP) or Hp-related gene (HPR), including a single-nucleotide polymorphism in intron 2 of HRP, rs2000999, and a complete deletion of the HP gene (HP^del), one of the rare variants of HP, have been reported to correlate with the serum cholesterol concentration as well as the serum Hp concentration. In this study, we developed a duplex dual-labeled fluorescence probe-based method to simultaneously determine the rs2000999 G > A polymorphism by melting curve genotyping and the zygosity of HP^del by endpoint genotyping. This method was then validated by using the genomic DNA from 94 Japanese subjects for whom genotypes of rs2000999 and HP^del zygosity had already been determined. The results obtained with this method were in perfect agreement with the previous ones. Thus, the present method enables us to estimate these two polymorphisms in relatively large-scale groups of subjects, especially in Asian populations where the HP^del is distributed.     

Existence of Perfect 4-Deletion-Correcting Codes with Length Six

By a T ^*(2, k, v)-code we mean a perfect4-deletion-correcting code of length 6 over an alphabet of size v, which is capable of correcting anycombination of up to 4 deletions and/or insertions of letters that occur in transmission of codewords. Thethird author (DCC Vol. 23, No. 1) presented a combinatorial construction for such codes and prove thata T ^*(2, 6, v)-code exists for all positive integers v 3 (mod 5), with 12 possible exceptions of v. In this paper, the notion of a directedgroup divisible quasidesign is introduced and used to show that a T ^*(2, 6,v)-code exists for all positive integers v 3 (mod 5), except possiblyfor v {173, 178, 203, 208}. The 12 missing cases for T ^*(2,6, v)-codes with v 3 (mod 5) are also provided, thereby the existenceproblem for T ^*(2, 6, v)-codes is almost complete.     

Complete C-labeling pattern of yessotoxin a marine ladder-frame polyether

Biosynthesis of a marine ladder-frame polyether yessotoxin (YTX) produced by the dinofalgellate Protoceratium reticulatum was investigated. The ¹³C-labeling experiments indicated that the carbons in YTX were derived from acetates, a methyl of methionine and glycolate, and six-membered ring tetrads (rings A-D and H-K) were constructed from repetition of C3 units (m-m-c), which consisted of a methyl of acetate and acetate.     

How divergence mechanisms influence disassortative mixing property in biology

The duplication–divergence mechanism of network growth has been widely investigated, especially in gene and protein networks. Both the duplication and divergence have a key role in biological network evolution. However, the relative roles of these mechanisms in the influence of disassortative property in protein interaction networks remain to be clarified. It has been shown that duplication can indeed make protein networks evolve towards disassortative networks. To make the relationship between the disassortative property and the duplication–divergence mechanism more clear, we further discuss how the divergence mechanism influences the disassortative property. We tested four different divergence mechanisms, i.e., node deletion, edge deletion, edge addition, and edge rewiring to study their effects on disassortative property. Our study highlights the crucial roles of different divergence evolution mechanisms.     

非线性均值方差模型的贝叶斯数据删除统计诊断

文章在非线性均值方差模型框架下基于K-L距离研究贝叶斯数据删除影响的统计诊断问题,通过应用Gibbs抽样和MH算法估计贝叶斯数据删除影响诊断统计量.随机模拟研究和红鳟鲑鱼数据的数值例子说明该诊断方法的可行性.     

Performance analysis of relative service using TCP‐aware marking and dynamic WRED

The implementation of successful assured forwarding (AF) services according to the DiffServ framework remains a challenging problem today, despite the numerous proposals for assured forwarding per‐hop‐behaviour (AF PHB) mechanisms and AF‐based service implementations. The interaction of the TCP and UDP traffic under an AF‐based service and a number of relative issues such as fairness among flows, achievable bandwidth guarantees and qualitative performance have been taken into consideration in this work in order to address the existing limitations. We propose two modules, the TCP‐window aware marker (TWAM) and the dynamic WRED (WRED) mechanism for implementing the differentiated services (DiffServ) AF PHB. We provide analytical models and an experimental evaluation in order to demonstrate how they succeed in enhancing the quality, improving the performance and easing the deployment of a production level AF‐based service. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Case Influence Analysis in Bayesian Inference

Abstract

We demonstrate how case influence analysis, commonly used in regression, can be applied to Bayesian hierarchical models. Draws from the joint posterior distribution of parameters are importance weighted to reflect the effect of deleting each observation in turn; the ensuing changes in the posterior distribution of each parameter are displayed graphically. The procedure is particularly useful when drawing a sample from the posterior distribution requires extensive calculations (as with a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampler). The structure of hierarchical models, and other models with local dependence, makes the importance weights inexpensive to calculate with little additional programming. Some new alternative weighting schemes are described that extend the range of problems in which reweighting can be used to assess influence. Applications to a growth curve model and a complex hierarchical model for opinion data are described. Our focus on case influence on parameters is complementary to other work that measures influence by distances between posterior or predictive distributions.