Microarray Data Analysis

Abstract

Microarray analysis is an emerging field, simultaneously harnessing advances in semiconductor manufacturing, biochemistry, medicine, computation, and algorithms research. Microarrays now provide a platform for an unprecedented genome‐wide view of a biological sample. Microarray analysis makes use of the vast amounts of data that the microarray platform provides. It is through the intelligent combination of mathematical algorithms and clinical validation that microarray analysis provides a real opportunity to realize the goal of targeted personalized medicine. One day, the information from a single microarray might be able to tell a doctor if a patient has cancer, what type of cancer it is, what the prognosis is, and what drug to use to best fight the cancer. The foundation of this story is being built in laboratories across the world today and it starts with sound microarray analysis. Microarray analysis is a multistep process that converts raw microarray data into biomarkers for clinical use. First, noise must be removed from raw data using preprocessing methods, such as normalization and artifact removal. Clean data can then be used to select important features or to build predictive rules called classifiers. The results of feature selection and classification are lists of biomarkers that are appropriate for classifying the data into groups such as benign or malignant. These biomarkers must then be validated clinically or through knowledge‐based approaches. The results of validation can then be used as feedback in order to select better features or build better classifiers.

Externalizing problems in fifth grade: Relations with productive activity, maternal sensitivity, and harsh parenting from infancy through middle childhood.

“…In the case of harshness and sensitivity, they were also roughly comparable to findings for 3-year-olds reported by Olson et al (2005). The similarity of findings at first and fifth grades is not surprising given that children who manifest externalizing behavior early in life often exhibit such behaviors through middle childhood (Campbell, 2002; Moffitt, 2006; Tremblay, 2000) and given that the three aspects of parenting examined in the two studies showed substantial stability as well. These general patterns granted, later maternal sensitivity appears to be more strongly associated with fifth-grade self-control than early maternal sensitivity was with first-grade self-control.…”

“…Although externalizing problems manifest in early childhood tend to persist into middle childhood (Hill, 2002; Moffitt, 2006), it remains unclear whether externalizing problems observed in fifth grade continue to reflect experiences in the preschool years. Some theories (e.g., attachment, social learning) suggest that experiences early in life may be especially important, as they establish a base for attitudes about social relationships, expectancies pertaining to control, and motivational patterns.…”

“…Externalizing problems are common among school-age children (Borowsky, Mozayeny, & Ireland, 2003; Hill, 2002; Horowitz, Leav, Leventhal, Forsyth, & Speechley, 1992; NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 2004), and they tend to persist across the life span for a significant number of those children who manifest such problems early in life (Campbell, 2002; Moffitt, 2006; Tremblay, 2000). Moreover, they are often associated with other concurrent and long-term negative outcomes (Campbell, Spieker, Burchinal, Poe, & NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 2006; Coie & Dodge, 1998; Hill, 2002).…”

Changes in behavioral correlates of social status during early adolescence: Does school context matter?

“…The maturity gap perspective provides rationale that the TDBD phenomenon may apply to changing social status profiles. From this perspective, adolescents confer status to students who engage in noncompliant behavior as it represents asserting independence (Moffitt, 1993, 2006). The root cause of this dynamic is that adolescents have limited responsibilities and decision-making opportunities and turn to noncompliant behavior as means for asserting autonomy.…”