An Efficient, Parallelized Algorithm for Optimal Conditional Entropy-Based Feature Selection.

In Machine Learning, feature selection is an important step in classifier design. It consists of finding a subset of features that is optimum for a given cost function. One possibility to solve feature selection is to organize all possible feature subsets into a Boolean lattice and to exploit the fact that the costs of chains in that lattice describe U-shaped curves.

Algorithms for testing COVID-19 focused on use of RT-PCR and high-affinity serological testing: A consensus statement from a panel of Latin American experts.

Unlabelled: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented public health, social, and economic crisis. Improving understanding on available tests for detecting COVID-19 is critical for effective management of the pandemic. We proposed that a multidisciplinary expert panel can establish recommendations on ideal use of diagnostic tools, with a focus on RT-PCR and serological high-affinity antibodies (both IgM and IgG) tests for the Latin America region.

Surgically-assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME): indications, planning and treatment of severe maxillary deficiency in an adult patient.

Introduction: Maxillary deficiency, also called transverse deficiency of the maxilla, may be associated with posterior crossbite, as well as with other functional changes, particularly respiratory. In adult patients, because of bone maturation and the midpalatal suture fusion, rapid maxillary expansion has to be combined with a previous surgical procedure to release the areas of resistance of the maxilla. This procedure is known as surgically-assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME).

Advanced chronic kidney disease is associated with higher serum concentration of monocyte microparticles.

Advanced chronic kidney disease is associated with high rates of cardiovascular disease. Considering the crucial role of capillaries in renal function, our study aimed to evaluate microparticles related to vascular physiology examining the link between stages of chronic kidney disease with circulating endothelial (EMP), platelet (PMP) and monocytic (MMP) microparticles. Cross-sectional study with blinded endpoints included subjects of both sexes, aged 40-75 years (n = 247), with established cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, or peripheral artery disease).

Impact of self-reported fasting duration on lipid profile variability, cardiovascular risk stratification and metabolic syndrome diagnosis.

Objective: We sought to investigate the impact of self-reported fasting duration times on the lipid profile results and its impact on the cardiovascular risk stratification and metabolic syndrome diagnosis.

Subjects And Methods: We analyzed data from all consecutive individuals evaluated in a comprehensive health examination at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein from January to December 2015. We divided these patients in three groups, according to the fasting duration recalled (< 8h, 8-12h and > 12h).

Discriminating different classes of biological networks by analyzing the graphs spectra distribution.

The brain's structural and functional systems, protein-protein interaction, and gene networks are examples of biological systems that share some features of complex networks, such as highly connected nodes, modularity, and small-world topology. Recent studies indicate that some pathologies present topological network alterations relative to norms seen in the general population. Therefore, methods to discriminate the processes that generate the different classes of networks (e.

Inferring contagion in regulatory networks.

Several gene regulatory network models containing concepts of directionality at the edges have been proposed. However, only a few reports have an interpretable definition of directionality. Here, differently from the standard causality concept defined by Pearl, we introduce the concept of contagion in order to infer directionality at the edges, i.

Comparing Pearson, Spearman and Hoeffding's D measure for gene expression association analysis.

DNA microarrays have become a powerful tool to describe gene expression profiles associated with different cellular states, various phenotypes and responses to drugs and other extra- or intra-cellular perturbations. In order to cluster co-expressed genes and/or to construct regulatory networks, definition of distance or similarity between measured gene expression data is usually required, the most common choices being Pearson's and Spearman's correlations. Here, we evaluate these two methods and also compare them with a third one, namely Hoeffding's D measure, which is used to infer nonlinear and non-monotonic associations, i.

Modeling nonlinear gene regulatory networks from time series gene expression data.

In cells, molecular networks such as gene regulatory networks are the basis of biological complexity. Therefore, gene regulatory networks have become the core of research in systems biology. Understanding the processes underlying the several extracellular regulators, signal transduction, protein-protein interactions, and differential gene expression processes requires detailed molecular description of the protein and gene networks involved.

Menopause symptoms in women infected with HIV: prevalence and associated factors.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with menopause symptoms in HIV-infected women.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of two groups of women was conducted: 96 with HIV and 155 without HIV. Women aged 40 years or older, non-users of hormone therapy in the last 6 months and native Brazilians were included.

Evaluating different methods of microarray data normalization.

Background: With the development of DNA hybridization microarray technologies, nowadays it is possible to simultaneously assess the expression levels of thousands to tens of thousands of genes. Quantitative comparison of microarrays uncovers distinct patterns of gene expression, which define different cellular phenotypes or cellular responses to drugs. Due to technical biases, normalization of the intensity levels is a pre-requisite to performing further statistical analyses.