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Rare tumor has a huge unmet medical need without standard regimens, calling for novel therapeutic interventions. The National Cancer Center of China identified a threshold of incidence for rare tumor as 2.5/100,000, based on the characteristics of Chinese population. Molecular profiles for rare tumor patients in China further provided prospects for precise and individualized targeted treatment. An ongoing phase II clinical trial, the PLATFORM study, is the first trial tailored for rare solid tumors in China, featured by molecule‐guided therapeutics. With the promulgation of supportive policies to encourage the development of innovative drugs for rare tumors in China, opportunities will be provided for these patients and the gap will be filled in the treatment of rare tumors.

Synergistic control of the frequency and orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light offers new opportunities for the generation of spatio-temporal optical waveforms and optical metrology. However, their physical realizations are typically bulky and complex owing to challenges in creating, manipulating and detecting mutually coherent, high-dimensional OAM states. Here we achieve combined control over the frequency and the OAM of a comb structure on a photonic chip. Dissipative optical solitons are formed in a nonlinear ring microresonator and emitted owing to engraved angular gratings, with each comb line carrying a distinct OAM. The beam of such a vortex soliton microcomb manifests dynamically revolving, double-helical intensity profiles. The one-to-one correspondence between the OAM and frequencies features a high extinction ratio of over 18.5 dB, enabling precision spectroscopy of optical vortices. Our work provides an integrated solution for realizing coherent light sources that are multiplexed in the spatial and frequency domains, with the potential to establish a new approach to the generation of high-dimensional structured light. Nonlinear microring resonators can generate a vortex soliton microcomb, that is, a frequency comb with each comb line carrying a distinct orbital angular momentum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebellar ataxia(CA) is defined as a degenerative disease of the nervous system. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been a promising treatment for neurological and psychiatric diseases. Hence, to find out whether cerebellar rTMS impacts CA as a potential therapy, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Qualified studies through a systematic search were retrieved for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using acknowledged databases. Review Manager 5.4 software was employed to synthesize the data. A total of seven studies were identified as eligible and included in the quantitative review. Comparing real and sham-rTMS interventions, the utilization of rTMS on cerebellum improved the scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) (SMD − 0.87, 95% CI − 1.41 to − 0.34; P = 0.001; I2 = 62%), the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS) (SMD − 1.06, 95% CI − 1.47 to − 0.64; P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%) and Berg balance Scale (BBS) (SMD 0.76, 95% CI 0.33 to 1.19; P = 0.0005; I2 = 39%). The subgroup analysis demonstrated high-frequency of rTMS had a positive effect (SMD − 1.28, 95% CI − 1.82 to − 0.74; P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%). For the safety, the incidence of adverse events between the two groups was not significantly different (OR 1.73, 95% CI 0.55 to 5.46; P = 0.35; I2 = 0%). In conclusion, this meta-analysis provided limited evidence, suggesting a possible strategy that rTMS over the cerebellum could be a viable therapy for symptoms associated with CA. Besides, rTMS intervention was well-attended and did not result in unanticipated negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrational spectroscopy is a ubiquitous technology that derives the species, constituents and morphology of an object from its natural vibrations. However, natural vibrations of mesoscopic particles—including most biological cells—have remained hidden from existing technologies. These particles are expected to vibrate faintly at megahertz to gigahertz rates, requiring a sensitivity and resolution that are impractical for current optical and piezoelectric spectroscopies. Here we demonstrate the real-time measurement of natural vibrations of single mesoscopic particles using an optical microresonator, extending the reach of vibrational spectroscopy to a different spectral window. Conceptually, a spectrum of vibrational modes of the particles is stimulated photoacoustically by the absorption of laser pulses and acoustically coupled to a high-quality-factor optical resonance for ultrasensitive readout. Experimentally, this scheme is verified by measuring mesoscopic particles with different constituents, sizes and internal structures, showing an unprecedented signal-to-noise ratio of 50 dB and detection bandwidth of over 1 GHz. This technology is further applied for the biomechanical fingerprinting of the species and living states of microorganisms at the single-cell level. This work opens up new avenues to study single-particle mechanical properties in vibrational degrees of freedom and may find applications in photoacoustic sensing and imaging, cavity optomechanics and biomechanics. Natural vibrations of mesoscopic particles, such as living cells, are typically faint; occurring at megahertz to gigahertz frequencies also makes detection challenging. Now, researchers demonstrate real-time measurement of natural vibrations of single mesoscopic particles by using photoacoustic excitation and acoustic coupling to an optical microresonator for readout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the perspective of forensic wound age estimation, experiments related to skeletal muscle regeneration after injury have rarely been reported. Here, we examined the time-dependent expression patterns of multiple biomarkers associated with satellite cell fate, including the transcription factor paired box 7 (Pax7), myoblast determination protein (MyoD), myogenin, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), using immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and quantitative real-time PCR in contused skeletal muscle. An animal model of skeletal muscle contusion was established in 30 Sprague–Dawley male rats, and another five rats were employed as non-contused controls. Morphometrically, the data obtained from the numbers of Pax7 + , MyoD + , and myogenin + cells were highly correlated with the wound age. Pax7, MyoD, myogenin, and IGF-1 expression patterns were upregulated after injury at both the mRNA and protein levels. Pax7, MyoD, and myogenin protein expression levels confirmed the results of the morphometrical analysis. Additionally, the relative quantity of IGF-1 protein > 0.92 suggested a wound age of 3 to 7 days. The relative quantity of Pax7 mRNA > 2.44 also suggested a wound age of 3 to 7 days. Relative quantities of Myod1, Myog, and Igf1 mRNA expression > 2.78, > 7.80, or > 3.13, respectively, indicated a wound age of approximately 3 days. In conclusion, the expression levels of Pax7, MyoD, myogenin, and IGF-1 were upregulated in a time-dependent manner during skeletal muscle wound healing, suggesting the potential for using them as candidate biomarkers for wound age estimation in skeletal muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to previous studies, traditional laboratory safety courses are delivered in a classroom setting where the instructor teaches and the students listen and read the course materials passively. The course content is also uninspiring and dull. Additionally, the teaching period is spread out, which adds to the instructor's workload. As a result, students become less motivated to learn. In contrast, artificially intelligent educational robots (AIERs), help students learn while lessening the workload on instructors by enhancing teaching strategies, using robots to substitute for teachers, giving students access to a variety of instructional content, and improving interaction with students through the use of intelligent voice interactions and Q&A systems to promote student engagement in learning. If the robot is used for a long time for learning, it may lead to a decrease in students' interest in learning. Therefore, this study introduces the GAFCC model (the theory-driven gamification goal, access, feedback, challenge, collaboration design model) as an instructional design model to guide the development of a gamified AIER system, aiming to improve students' motivation and learning effectiveness for laboratory safety courses. To test the effectiveness of the system, this study conducted an experimental study at a university in China in the summer of 2022. 53 participants participated in the research, with a random sample taken from each group. Each participant was able to choose the time of their free time to engage in the experiment. There were 18, 19, and 16 participants in experimental group 1, experimental group 2, and the traditional group, respectively. Students in experimental group 1 learned using the gamified AIER system, students in experimental group 2 learned on a general anthropomorphic robot system and the control group received traditional classroom learning. The experimental results showed that compared to the other two groups, the gamified AIER system guided by the GAFCC model significantly improved students' learning achievement and enhanced their learning motivation, flow experience, and problem-solving tendency. In addition, students who adopted this approach exhibited more positive behaviors and reduced cognitive load in the learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum fluctuations disrupt the cyclic motions of dissipative Kerr solitons (DKSs) in nonlinear optical microresonators and consequently cause timing jitter of the emitted pulse trains. This problem is translated to the performance of several applications that employ DKSs as compact frequency comb sources. Recently, device manufacturing and noise reduction technologies have advanced to unveil the quantum properties of DKSs. Here we investigate the quantum decoherence of DKSs existing in normal-dispersion microresonators known as dark pulses. By virtue of the very large material nonlinearity, we directly observe the quantum decoherence of dark pulses in an AlGaAs-on-insulator microresonator, and the underlying dynamical processes are resolved by injecting stochastic photons into the microresonators. Moreover, phase correlation measurements show that the uniformity of comb spacing of quantum-limited dark pulses is better than 1.2 × 10−16 and 2.5 × 10−13 when normalized to the optical carrier frequencies and repetition frequencies, respectively. Comparing DKSs generated in different material platforms explicitly confirms the advantages of dark pulses over bright solitons in terms of quantum-limited coherence. Our work establishes a critical performance assessment of DKSs, providing guidelines for coherence engineering of chip-scale optical frequency combs. Authors report quantum decoherence of dissipative Kerr solitons in normal-dispersion microresonators, also known as dark pulses. They show the quantum decoherence of dark pulses and their potential advantages over bright solitons in an AlGaAs-on-insulator system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Special issues are a unique mode of scholarly communication designed to highlight essential or emerging research themes through high-quality manuscripts. Special issues are increasingly becoming a fixture across a wide range of disciplines. Yet whether publishing special issues is necessarily a beneficial practice remains controversial. In this paper, we explore whether the actual effect of special issues meets the academic community's expectations, which is to enhance citation impact and highlight important research topics. Our sample, which comprises all special issue articles in all disciplines published between 2008 and 2017, reveals that there has been a proliferation of special issues across countries, institutions, and journals, with some differences among the disciplines. Opportunities to appear in special issues are more given to countries/institutions that achieved the highest overall research output. The effectiveness of special issues in promoting academic development varies across disciplines and even across journals. Honing in on library and information science as a case area to explore citation impacts and the topic distribution of special issues, we find that many special issues present high-impact manuscripts, especially those of the less prominent journals. However, the issue of publishing low impact manuscripts through special issues also exists in many fields. Special issues are also more likely to publish interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary articles and rarely discussed research themes compared to regular issues. Further, such topics are seldom explored on a large scale in the normal editions of the journal. To ensure the quality of the manuscripts, we recommend optimizing the procedures for selecting special issue topics and reviewing submissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical microresonators with high quality (Q) factors are essential to a wide range of integrated photonic devices. Steady efforts have been directed towards increasing microresonator Q factors across a variety of platforms. With success in reducing microfabrication process-related optical loss as a limitation of Q, the ultimate attainable Q, as determined solely by the constituent microresonator material absorption, has come into focus. Here, we report measurements of the material-limited Q factors in several photonic material platforms. High-Q microresonators are fabricated from thin films of SiO2, Si3N4, Al0.2Ga0.8As, and Ta2O5. By using cavity-enhanced photothermal spectroscopy, the material-limited Q is determined. The method simultaneously measures the Kerr nonlinearity in each material and reveals how material nonlinearity and ultimate Q vary in a complementary fashion across photonic materials. Besides guiding microresonator design and material development in four material platforms, the results help establish performance limits in future photonic integrated systems. Optical absorption and nonlinear index are important performance drivers in devices like microcombs. Here the authors use resonance-enhanced nonlinear spectroscopy to characterize absorption limits and nonlinear index for some integrated photonic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Bambusa belongs to the subtribe Bambusinae and the subfamily Bambusoideae. The subgenera of Bambusa has not been satisfactorily circumscribed, and this remains a major taxonomic issue. Simultaneously, genera such as Dendrocalamus and Gigantochloa have not been confidently assigned to Bambusa. Here, the phylogenetic relationships among subgenera were investigated using five chloroplast DNA markers (rpl32-trnL, rpl16, matK, rbcL, and trnH-psbA) for a sample of 50 ingroup and 16 outgroup species. A total of 186 key morphological descriptors were studied for the 50 ingroup species. The results indicated that five chloroplast DNA markers were possible to distinguish Bambusa species from other species and divide them into several clusters. Phylogenetic analyses conducted using morphological descriptors and a combined marker (rpl32-trnL+rpl16) revealed three and five distinct lineages, respectively, among the currently recognized Bambusa species. The branching pattern of the dendrogram was not completely consistent with the classical taxonomic classification of Bambusa. In addition, not all varieties and cultivars were clustered with McClure classifications. As the maximum parsimony topology and morphological analyses were inconsistent, some clustering results overlapped. Overall, the results obtained here do not support the current classification of the Bambusa subgenera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated oxidative stress and antioxidant response in the p62/Sqstm1-Keap1-Nrf2 pathway in C57BL/6 mice cochleae during age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and the function of full-length and variant p62 in the regulation of Nrf2 activation. Groups of young (2 months), old (13–14 months), control, and acoustic trauma (AT) mice were examined cochlear damage and oxidative stress as follows: auditory brainstem response and hair cell counts; malondialdehyde (MDA) levels measured by assay kit and 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) detected by immunohistochemistry. Full-length and variant p62 were examined for expression in cochleae, hippocampus (HIP), and auditory cortex (AC) using immunoblotting. Keap1-Nrf2 pathway activation was based on immunoblotting of nuclear Nrf2 and quantitative real-time PCR of Nrf2 target genes HO-1/NQO-1. The oxidative function of full-length and variant p62 was examined in HEI-OC-1 cells by flow cytometry. The results showed hearing loss, and cochlear hair cell loss was associated with MDA accumulation and 8-oxoG expression during ARHL and NIHL. Nrf2 showed no obvious changes in nuclear protein. Expression levels mRNA for HO-1 and NQO1 were lower in old mice and mildly greater in AT Mice. The expression of p62 splicing variant lacking the Keap1-interacting region was greater than full-length p62 in cochleae. However, the expression of p62 splicing variant was lesser than full-length p62 in HIP and AC. For HEI-OC-1 cells, overexpression of full-length p62 decreased ROS levels induced by H2O2. Oxidative stress is closely related to ARHL and NIHL. Changing the ratio of full-length to variant p62 protein expression may be a new target to reduce the level of oxidative stress in cochleae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In poultry, feed restriction is common feeding management to limit poultry nutrients intake so that poultry only intake the essential energy, meeting the basic need of growth and development. Our study investigated whether feeding restriction affects the diversity of the intestinal microbiota of growing breeding ducks. In this research, the 60–120-day-old ducks were raised in restricted and free-feeding groups. After slaughtering, the carcass traits and the cecal contents were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. After feeding restriction, the growth rate of ducks was limited, the weight and rate of abdominal fat decreased, and the rate of chest and leg muscles increased. In addition, feeding restriction can also change the diversity of intestinal microorganisms in breeding ducks, such as the increase of Firmicutes abundance and the decrease of Bacteroidetes abundance. After analyzing of correlation, significant correlations between gut microbiota and carcass phenotypes were found. The results indicated that gut microbiota might be involved in the life activities associated with phenotypic changes. This study proved the effect of feeding methods on the intestinal microbiota of ducks, providing a theoretical basis of the microbial angle for raising ducks in a feeding-restricted period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely recognized that flipped learning has great potential for enhancing students' conceptual understanding through the reversed arrangement of before-class learning activities and in-class settings. However, this approach also raises the challenge of students having to obtain the learning content by themselves, especially for abstract concepts such as fractions, where students frequently encounter problems in mathematics education. In this study, we proposed a gamified interactive e-book approach to supporting a flipped mathematics classroom. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a quasi-experimental study was implemented in an elementary school mathematics course. There were three groups: the students who adopted the gamified interactive e-book in the mathematical flipped classroom (the GIEBFL group), the students who learned with conventional flipped learning (the CFL group), and those who learned with traditional instruction (the TI group). The results from a paper-and-pencil test indicated that the GIEBFL students significantly outperformed the CFL and TI students. In addition, the questionnaire of students' learning motivation showed that the GIEBFL students had better motivation than the CFL and TI students. Also, the GIEBFL students achieved significantly higher meta-cognition tendency than the TI students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon nitride (SiN) waveguides with ultra-low optical loss enable integrated photonic applications including low noise, narrow linewidth lasers, chip-scale nonlinear photonics, and microwave photonics. Lasers are key components to SiN photonic integrated circuits (PICs), but are difficult to fully integrate with low-index SiN waveguides due to their large mismatch with the high-index III-V gain materials. The recent demonstration of multilayer heterogeneous integration provides a practical solution and enabled the first-generation of lasers fully integrated with SiN waveguides. However, a laser with high device yield and high output power at telecommunication wavelengths, where photonics applications are clustered, is still missing, hindered by large mode transition loss, non-optimized cavity design, and a complicated fabrication process. Here, we report high-performance lasers on SiN with tens of milliwatts output power through the SiN waveguide and sub-kHz fundamental linewidth, addressing all the aforementioned issues. We also show Hertz-level fundamental linewidth lasers are achievable with the developed integration techniques. These lasers, together with high-Q SiN resonators, mark a milestone towards a fully integrated low-noise silicon nitride photonics platform. This laser should find potential applications in LIDAR, microwave photonics and coherent optical communications. Achieving high output power and low noise integrated lasers is a major challenge. Here the authors experimentally demonstrate integrated lasers from a Si/SiN heterogeneous platform that shows Hertz-level linewidth, paving the way toward fully integrating low-noise silicon nitride photonics in volume using real devices for lasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) possesses a poor prognosis even for stages I–III resected patients. Reliable prognostic biomarkers that can stratify and predict clinical outcomes for stage I–III resected LUSC patients are urgently needed. Based on gene expression of LUSC tissue samples from five public datasets, consisting of 687 cases, we developed an immune-related prognostic model (IPM) according to immune genes from ImmPort database. Then, we comprehensively analyzed the immune microenvironment and mutation burden that are significantly associated with this model. According to the IPM, patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups with markedly distinct survival benefits. We found that patients with high immune risk possessed a higher proportion of immunosuppressive cells such as macrophages M0, and presented higher expression of CD47, CD73, SIRPA, and TIM-3. Moreover, When further stratified based on the tumor mutation burden (TMB) and risk score, patients with high TMB and low immune risk had a remarkable prolonged overall survival compared to patients with low TMB and high immune risk. Finally, a nomogram combing the IPM with clinical factors was established to provide a more precise evaluation of prognosis. The proposed immune relevant model is a promising biomarker for predicting overall survival in stage I–III LUSC. Thus, it may shed light on identifying patient subset at high risk of adverse prognosis from an immunological perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by narrow-linewidth bench-top lasers, coherent optical systems spanning optical communications, metrology and sensing provide unrivalled performance. To transfer these capabilities from the laboratory to the real world, a key missing ingredient is a mass-produced integrated laser with superior coherence. Here, we bridge conventional semiconductor lasers and coherent optical systems using CMOS-foundry-fabricated microresonators with a high Q factor of over 260 million and finesse over 42,000. A five-orders-of-magnitude noise reduction in the pump laser is demonstrated, enabling a frequency noise of 0.2 Hz2 Hz−1 to be achieved in an electrically pumped integrated laser, with a corresponding short-term linewidth of 1.2 Hz. Moreover, the same configuration is shown to relieve the dispersion requirements for microcomb generation that have handicapped certain nonlinear platforms. The simultaneous realization of this high Q factor, highly coherent lasers and frequency combs using foundry-based technologies paves the way for volume manufacturing of a wide range of coherent optical systems. Using CMOS-ready ultra-high-Q microresonators, a highly coherent electrically pumped integrated laser with frequency noise of 0.2 Hz2 Hz−1, corresponding to a short-term linewidth of 1.2 Hz, is demonstrated. The device configuration is also found to relieve the dispersion requirements for microcomb generation that have limited certain nonlinear platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact, low-noise microwave sources are required throughout a wide range of application areas including frequency metrology, wireless-communications and airborne radar systems. And the photonic generation of microwaves using soliton microcombs offers a path towards integrated, low noise microwave signal sources. In these devices, a so called quiet-point of operation has been shown to reduce microwave frequency noise. Such operation decouples pump frequency noise from the soliton's motion by balancing the Raman self-frequency shift with dispersive-wave recoil. Here, we explore the limit of this noise suppression approach and reveal a fundamental noise mechanism associated with fluctuations of the dispersive wave frequency. At the same time, pump noise reduction by as much as 36 dB is demonstrated. This fundamental noise mechanism is expected to impact microwave noise (and pulse timing jitter) whenever solitons radiate into dispersive waves belonging to different spatial mode families. Here the authors explore the noise spectrum of soliton microcomb when the pump is decoupled from the solitons motion by balancing the Raman shift with the emitted dispersive wave. Based on the analysis of the phase noise and the soliton repetition rate, they identify the uncorrelated thermal fluctuations as underlying mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic books are an important carrier of knowledge for scientific communication. This study aims to gain an improved understanding of academic books by jointly analyzing the altmetric and citation indicators. We explore the impact of academic books among six fields. The data set includes 666,527 records of the Book Citation Index from Web of Science in 2013–2017. Results reveal as follows. (1) The coverage of digital object identifiers and altmetric values on books was relatively low. (2) The impact of books shows evident disciplinary differences in the citation and altmetric indicators. Clinical, Pre-Clinical and Health books had the highest altmetric impact but the lowest citation impact. However, Physical Sciences books showed the opposite traits. Although books are the preferred publication format of the fields of Arts and Humanities; and Social Sciences, the performance of the book impact based on the citation and altmetric indicators was not apparent among six fields. Overall, Social Sciences have relatively better performance than Arts and Humanities. (3) The citation frequency of early publications is significantly higher than that of recent publications, whereas the altmetric attention score presented a growth trend and the cumulative effect is not evident. The clear but weak correlations between altmetric indicators and citations of books were also found. (4) The hierarchical cluster analysis of fields based on the citation and altmetric indicators revealed that the fields of Clinical, Pre-Clinical and Health; and Life Sciences showed high internal homogeneity. However, the fields of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities are heterogeneous. This study is a constructive attempt to show the macroscopic traits of academic books. Altmetric indexes were involved in multidisciplinary comparison analysis to enhance the understanding of books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies in wireless communications have drawn significant attention recently. AI has demonstrated real success in speech understanding, image identification, and natural language processing domains, thus exhibiting its great potential in solving problems that cannot be easily modeled. AI techniques have become an enabler in wireless communications to fulfill the increasing and diverse requirements across a large range of application scenarios. In this paper, we elaborate on several typical wireless scenarios, such as channel modeling, channel decoding and signal detection, and channel coding design, in which AI plays an important role in wireless communications. Then, AI and information theory are discussed from the viewpoint of the information bottleneck. Finally, we discuss some ideas about how AI techniques can be deeply integrated with wireless communication systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical frequency combs have a wide range of applications in science and technology1. An important development for miniature and integrated comb systems is the formation of dissipative Kerr solitons in coherently pumped high-quality-factor optical microresonators2–9. Such soliton microcombs10 have been applied to spectroscopy11–13, the search for exoplanets14,15, optical frequency synthesis16, time keeping17 and other areas10. In addition, the recent integration of microresonators with lasers has revealed the viability of fully chip-based soliton microcombs18,19. However, the operation of microcombs requires complex startup and feedback protocols that necessitate difficult-to-integrate optical and electrical components, and microcombs operating at rates that are compatible with electronic circuits—as is required in nearly all comb systems—have not yet been integrated with pump lasers because of their high power requirements. Here we experimentally demonstrate and theoretically describe a turnkey operation regime for soliton microcombs co-integrated with a pump laser. We show the appearance of an operating point at which solitons are immediately generated by turning the pump laser on, thereby eliminating the need for photonic and electronic control circuitry. These features are combined with high-quality-factor Si3N4 resonators to provide microcombs with repetition frequencies as low as 15 gigahertz that are fully integrated into an industry standard (butterfly) package, thereby offering compelling advantages for high-volume production. A turnkey regime for soliton microcombs is demonstrated, in which solitons are generated by switching on a co-integrated pump laser, eliminating the need for photonic and electronic control circuitry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical gyroscopes are among the most accurate rotation measuring devices and are widely used for navigation and accurate pointing. Since the advent of photonic integrated components for communications, and with their increasing complexity, there has been interest in the possibility of chip-scale optical gyroscopes1. Besides the potential benefits of integration, such solid-state systems would be robust and resistant to shock. Here, we report a gyroscope using Brillouin ring lasers on a silicon chip. Its stability and sensitivity enable measurement of Earth's rotation, representing a major milestone for this new class of gyroscope. A Sagnac gyroscope based on Brillouin ring lasers on a silicon chip is presented. The stability and sensitivity of this on-chip planar gyroscope allow measurement of the Earth's rotation, with an amplitude sensitivity as small as 5 deg h−1 for a sinusoidal rotation, an angle random walk of 0.068 deg h−1/2 and bias instability of 3.6 deg h−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its invention, optical frequency comb has revolutionized a broad range of subjects from metrology to spectroscopy. The recent development of microresonator-based frequency combs (microcombs) provides a unique pathway to create frequency comb systems on a chip. Indeed, microcomb-based spectroscopy, ranging, optical synthesizer, telecommunications and astronomical calibrations have been reported recently. Critical to many of the integrated comb systems is the broad coverage of comb spectra. Here, microcombs of more than two-octave span (450 nm to 2,008 nm) is demonstrated through χ(2) and χ(3) nonlinearities in a deformed silica microcavity. The deformation lifts the circular symmetry and creates chaotic tunneling channels that enable broadband collection of intracavity emission with a single waveguide. Our demonstration introduces a new degree of freedom, cavity deformation, to the microcomb studies, and our microcomb spectral range is useful for applications in optical clock, astronomical calibration and biological imaging. Here, the authors demonstrate the use of chaos to obtain 2-octave comb generation. The deformation lifts the circular symmetry and creates chaotic tunneling channels that enable broadband collection of intracavity emission with a single waveguide, introducing a new degree of freedom to microcomb studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in nonlinear optics have revolutionized integrated photonics, providing on-chip solutions to a wide range of new applications. Currently, state of the art integrated nonlinear photonic devices are mainly based on dielectric material platforms, such as Si3N4 and SiO2. While semiconductor materials feature much higher nonlinear coefficients and convenience in active integration, they have suffered from high waveguide losses that prevent the realization of efficient nonlinear processes on-chip. Here, we challenge this status quo and demonstrate a low loss AlGaAs-on-insulator platform with anomalous dispersion and quality (Q) factors beyond 1.5 × 106. Such a high quality factor, combined with high nonlinear coefficient and small mode volume, enabled us to demonstrate a Kerr frequency comb threshold of only ∼36 µW in a resonator with a 1 THz free spectral range, ∼100 times lower compared to that in previous semiconductor platforms. Moreover, combs with broad spans (>250 nm) have been generated with a pump power of ∼300 µW, which is lower than the threshold power of state-of the-art dielectric micro combs. A soliton-step transition has also been observed for the first time in an AlGaAs resonator. Despite larger nonlinear coefficients, waveguide losses have prevented using semiconductors instead of dielectric materials for on-chip frequency-comb sources. By significantly reducing waveguide loss, ultra-low-threshold Kerr comb generation is demonstrated in a high-Q AlGaAs-on-insulator microresonator system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MEN1 gene, a tumor suppressor gene that encodes the protein menin, is mutated at high frequencies in neuroendocrine (NE) tumors; however, the biological importance of this gene in NE-type lung cancer in vivo remains unclear. Here, we established an ATII-specific KrasG12D/+/Men1−/− driven genetically engineered mouse model and show that deficiency of menin results in the accumulation of DNA damage and antagonizes oncogenic Kras-induced senescence and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition during lung tumorigenesis. The loss of menin expression in certain human primary lung cancers correlates with elevated NE profiles and reduced overall survival. Loss ofMEN1 results in an inherited multiple endocrine neoplastic type 1 syndrome. Here, the authors generate an alveolar type II cell MEN1 knockout mouse model and show that on a Kras mutant background the mice develop lung tumors with features of neuroendocrine differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gram-negative bacteria can cause serious infections and are well known problems in biomedical practices. Biofilms of gram-negative bacteria are notorious for their frequently encountered resistance toward antibiotics. We demonstrate that α/β chimeric polypeptide molecular brush (α/β CPMB) exerts potent activities against antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria. MTT viability assay, bacterial colony counting, and live/dead staining all indicate that α/β CPMB not only inhibits biofilm formation of gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, but also effectively disrupts mature biofilms that are highly resistant to one of the most active antibiotics—colistin. The superior antibacterial performance of the α/β CPMB implies its potential topical applications in treating biofilms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fat deposition in muscle includes intramuscular fat (IMF) and intermuscular fat. IMF content is an index of pork quality; however, because IMF content is difficult to measure in vivo in young animals, conventional breeding for IMF content is difficult to carry out. The mechanism and progression of animal fat deposition is not well understood, and there are currently no effective control methods. In this study, using Laiwu and large white pigs as the research subjects and RNA sequencing technology, we analyzed the genetic mechanism of animal fat deposition in pigs. Specifically, we analyzed the features of lncRNAs and their potential target genes. We obtained 464 million clean reads, from which 907 lncRNAs were identified. The cis and trans analysis identified target genes, including genes that were upregulated (286) and downregulated (621) in the fatty and lean pigs. ENSSSCG00000008692_ADD1, ENSSSCG00000023124_ADD1 and ENSSSCG00000005918_DGAT1 were validated as target genes of the lncRNAs and were shown to be closely related to fat deposition. These results provide a basis for studying the different metabolic lncRNA expression of IMF deposition. In addition, as the valuable model animal to study the mechanisms of obesity, pigs may represent a new avenue for studying human obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical microresonators are essential to a broad range of technologies and scientific disciplines. However, many of their applications rely on discrete devices to attain challenging combinations of ultra-low-loss performance (ultrahigh Q) and resonator design requirements. This prevents access to scalable fabrication methods for photonic integration and lithographic feature control. Indeed, finding a microfabrication bridge that connects ultrahigh-Q device functions with photonic circuits is a priority of the microcavity field. Here, an integrated resonator having a record Q factor over 200 million is presented. Its ultra-low-loss and flexible cavity design brings performance to integrated systems that has been the exclusive domain of discrete silica and crystalline microcavity devices. Two distinctly different devices are demonstrated: soliton sources with electronic repetition rates and high-coherence/low-threshold Brillouin lasers. This multi-device capability and performance from a single integrated cavity platform represents a critical advance for future photonic circuits and systems. Using silicon nitride waveguides processed by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition, full integration of ultrahigh-Q resonators with other photonic devices is now possible, representing a critical advance for future photonic circuits and systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequency combs have applications that extend from the ultra-violet into the mid-infrared bands. Microcombs, a miniature and often semiconductor-chip-based device, can potentially access most of these applications, but are currently more limited in spectral reach. Here, we demonstrate mode-locked silica microcombs with emission near the edge of the visible spectrum. By using both geometrical and mode-hybridization dispersion control, devices are engineered for soliton generation while also maintaining optical Q factors as high as 80 million. Electronics-bandwidth-compatible (20 GHz) soliton mode locking is achieved with low pumping powers (parametric oscillation threshold powers as low as 5.4 mW). These are the shortest wavelength soliton microcombs demonstrated to date and could be used in miniature optical clocks. The results should also extend to visible and potentially ultra-violet bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear tandemly repeated ribosomal RNA genes (18S-5.8S-25S rDNA and 5S rDNA) have been proven to be excellent cytogenetic markers for karyotype analysis of various higher plants by using the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. To illustrate physical mapping of these rDNAs in brown seaweed, Saccharina japonica, chromosomes, an approximately 5400-bp transcription unit of 18S-5.8S-25S rDNA was assembled by cloning the 25S rDNA after paired-end sequencing of two screened clones from a bacterial artificial chromosome library of kelp gametophytes. In contrast to the conserved 18S-5.8S-25S rDNA and ITS1 in S. japonica, the 245-bp ITS2 was variable in sequence. The cloned 5S rDNA revealed that the 120-bp conserved coding region was separated by a diverse intergenic spacer sequence that were 250, 445, 905, or 1335 bp in length. On average, the 18S-5.8S-25S rDNA of kelp female and male gametophytes had 45 and 41 copies per haploid genome, respectively, as detected by quantitative real-time PCR, whereas the 5S rDNA had 2590 and 2648 copies, respectively. Southern hybridization with labeled probes of 18S rDNA or 5S rDNA demonstrated that kelp gametophytes possessed only one locus each of the 18S-5.8S-25S or 5S rDNAs. This was further confirmed by FISH analysis using the same labeled probes, thus illustrating that 18S-5.8S-25S rDNA is located at the intercalary region of chromosome 23, whereas 5S rDNA at the sub-telomeric region of chromosomes 27. The localization of these rDNAs using the FISH technique has facilitated the identification of individual chromosomes and karyotype analysis of this kelp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solitons occur in many physical systems when a nonlinearity compensates wave dispersion. Their recently demonstrated formation in microresonators has opened a new research direction for nonlinear optical physics. Soliton mode locking also endows frequency microcombs with the enhanced stability necessary for miniaturization of spectroscopy and frequency metrology systems. These microresonator solitons orbit around a closed waveguide path and produce a repetitive output pulse stream at a rate set by the roundtrip time. Here, counter-propagating solitons that simultaneously orbit in an opposing sense (clockwise/counter-clockwise) are studied. Despite sharing the same spatial mode family, their roundtrip times can be precisely and independently controlled. Furthermore, a state is possible in which both the relative optical phase and relative repetition rates of the distinct soliton streams are locked. This state allows a single resonator to produce dual-soliton frequency-comb streams with different repetition rates, but with a high relative coherence that is useful in both spectroscopy and laser ranging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibition mechanism between sodium (NaAlF) and sulfur on coke reactivity was investigated by simulating petroleum coke with low-impurity pitch coke and by impurity doping. The mechanism was discussed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometry, and X-ray powder diffraction. Results show that Na effectively inhibited S catalysis during carbon-air/CO reactions, and S inhibited the catalysis of Na during carbon-air reaction to a certain extent. A stable structure with a Na-to-S atomic ratio of 1.4 and a cyclic reaction system of 'NaSO→ NaS→ NaCO→ NaSO' were likely the keys to producing this mutual inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integral histogram provides efficient histogram computation for all possible target regions, and is widely applied in many computer vision tasks. In this paper, to address the intensive computation and frequent memory accessing bottleneck in real-time applications, a sliced integral histogram algorithm is proposed for efficient integral histogram computation. We explore how maximum parallel computation and storage reduction are simultaneously achieved. Hardware implementation architecture on Field-programmable gate array (FPGA) platform is presented. We also suggest criterion for the optimal number of slices, which allows the most appropriate architecture to be selected. Comparing with the state-of-the-art methods, experimental results on Cyclone platform demonstrate the validity of the proposed algorithm in terms of computation speed, storage capacity and power consumption. Meanwhile, the proposed algorithm can be extended to other histogram based feature descriptors and implemented on any parallel processing platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an analysis of the strengthening and toughening mechanisms of natural composites (shells and pearls) and the biomimetic principle, a new type of hexagonal honeycomb shelter was designed using concrete-filled steel tubes. Experiments were conducted to investigate the anti-penetration properties of the honeycomb shelter. The experimental results showed that in contrast to a reinforced concrete shelter, damage from an impacting projectile only occurred within a single hexagonal unit of the honeycomb shelter; in addition, the damaged area on the honeycomb shelter was relatively small. Furthermore, the projectile tended to yaw when it penetrated the honeycomb shelter. The results of the experiments on the honeycomb shelter were also analyzed in terms of stress wave propagation, which was examined using a numerical simulation. The analysis showed that due to the restriction and obstruction effects of the hexagonal steel tubes on the concrete within the steel tubes, the resistance on the projectile increased during the penetration process, which reduced the damage caused by the projectile. The experimental results and analysis showed that a honeycomb shelter composed of concrete-filled steel tube components exhibits relatively good anti-penetration properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we developed and validated a multiplex assay of 27 ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) for analyzing African (AFR), European (EUR), and East Asian (EAS) ancestry components. In this study, we typed and collectively analyzed a large Uyghur sample of 979 individuals to estimate the genetic coefficients of the 27 AIMs and investigate differentiation parameters between Uyghur and Han. The Uyghur allele frequencies ranged from 0.243 to 0.952, and heterozygosities ranged from 0.091 to 0.500. Values of F3 and I3 for EUR, Uyghur, and EAS ranged from 0.028 to 0.550 and 0.0002 to 0.345, respectively. The Uyghur population displays a substantial ancestry contribution of 50.3:49.7 (EUR:EAS) and was efficiently discriminated from Han Chinese with an accuracy of 99.285 %. All populations were clustered into AFR, EUR, EAS, and admixture groups of these three ancestries. Central Asian was obviously stratified from the other admixture populations of South Asians, North Asians, and the Americans. The 27 SNPs yield a circle with an average distance of 0.936 from the center (0, 0) in PCA analysis. Using this set, Chinese Uyghur and Han populations achieved accurate differentiation, and our updated genotype database (by citing 1000 Genomes data) of 43 worldwide populations is a useful resource for forensic applications and disease association studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the present problem of sulfur enrichment in the metallurgical recycling process of ladle furnace (LF) refining slag, a simple and efficient method of removing sulfur from this slag was proposed. The proposed method is compatible with current steelmaking processes. Sulfur removal from LF refining slag for SPHC steel (manufactured at a certain steel plant in China) by blowing air in the hot state was studied by using hot-state experiments in a laboratory. The FactSage software, a carbon/sulfur analyzer, and scanning electron microscopy in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to test and analyze the sulfur removal effect and to investigate factors influencing sulfur removal rate. The results show that sulfur ions in LF refining slag can be oxidized into SO by O at high temperature by blowing air into molten slag; SO production was observed to reach a maximum with a small amount of blown O when the temperature exceeded 1350°C. At 1370°C and 1400°C, experimental LF refining slag is in the liquid state and exhibits good fluidity; under these conditions, the sulfur removal effect by blowing air is greater than 90wt% after 60 min. High temperature and large air flow rate are beneficial for removing sulfur from LF refining slag; compared with air flow rate, temperature has a greater strongly influences on the sulfur removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single-tube multiplex assay of a small set of ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) for effectively estimating individual ancestry and admixture is an ideal forensic tool to trace the population origin of an unknown DNA sample. We present a newly developed 27-plex single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel with highly robust and balanced differential power to perfectly assign individuals to African, European, and East Asian ancestries. Evaluating 968 previously described intercontinental AIMs from three HapMap population genotyping datasets (Yoruban in Ibadan, Nigeria (YRI); Utah residents with Northern and Western European ancestry from the Centre de'Etude du Polymorphism Humain (CEPH) collection (CEU); and Han Chinese in Beijing, China (CHB)), the best set of markers was selected on the basis of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium ( p > 0.00001), population-specific allele frequency (two of three δ values >0.5), according to linkage disequilibrium ( r < 0.2), and capable of being multiplexed in one tube and detected by capillary electrophoresis. The 27-SNP panel was first validated by assigning the ancestry of the 11 populations in the HapMap project. Then, we tested the 27-plex SNP assay with 1164 individuals from 17 additional populations. The results demonstrated that the SNP panel was successful for ancestry inference of individuals with African, European, and East Asian ancestry. Furthermore, the system performed well when inferring the admixture of Eurasians (EUR/EAS) after analyzing admixed populations from Xinjiang (Central Asian) as follows: Tajik (68:27), Uyghur (49:46), Kirgiz (40:57), and Kazak (36:60). For individual analyses, we interpreted each sample with a three-ancestry component percentage and a population match probability sequence. This multiplex assay is a convenient and cost-effective tool to assist in criminal investigations, as well as to correct for the effects of population stratification for case-control studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title complex, {[Co(BPPA)(5-OH- bdc)] · (HO)} was prepared under hydrothermal conditions based on two ligands, namely, bis(4-(pyridin-4-yl)phenyl)amine (BPPA) and 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid (5-OH-H bdc). 5-OH- bdc anions coordinated to Co atoms to give layers in crystal. BPPA ligands coordinate to Co atoms and thread into the adjacent layers. There are hydrogen bonds between adjacent layers, giving rise to a 2D → 3D framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activation of oncogenes by mechanisms other than genetic aberrations such as mutations, translocations, or amplifications is largely undefined. Here we report a novel isoform of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) that is expressed in ∼11% of melanomas and sporadically in other human cancer types, but not in normal tissues. The novel ALK transcript initiates from a de novo alternative transcription initiation (ATI) site in ALK intron 19, and was termed ALKATI. In ALKATI-expressing tumours, the ATI site is enriched for H3K4me3 and RNA polymerase II, chromatin marks characteristic of active transcription initiation sites. ALKATI is expressed from both ALK alleles, and no recurrent genetic aberrations are found at the ALK locus, indicating that the transcriptional activation is independent of genetic aberrations at the ALK locus. The ALKATI transcript encodes three proteins with molecular weights of 61.1, 60.8 and 58.7 kilodaltons, consisting primarily of the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. ALKATI stimulates multiple oncogenic signalling pathways, drives growth-factor-independent cell proliferation in vitro, and promotes tumorigenesis in vivo in mouse models. ALK inhibitors can suppress the kinase activity of ALKATI, suggesting that patients with ALKATI-expressing tumours may benefit from ALK inhibitors. Our findings suggest a novel mechanism of oncogene activation in cancer through de novo alternative transcription initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the association of cord blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] with birth weight and the risk of small for gestational age (SGA). As part of the China-Anhui Birth Cohort (C-ABC) study, we measured cord blood levels of 25(OH)D in 1491 neonates in Hefei, China. The data on maternal sociodemographic characteristics, health status, lifestyle, birth outcomes were prospectively collected. Multiple regression models were used to estimate the association of 25(OH)D levels with birth weight and the risk of SGA. Compared with neonates in the lowest decile of cord blood 25(OH) D levels, neonates in four deciles (the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh deciles) had significantly increased birth weight and decreased risk of SGA. Multiple linear regression models showed that per 10 nmol/L increase in cord blood 25(OH)D, birth weight increased by 61.0 g (95% CI: 31.9, 89.9) at concentrations less than 40 nmol/L, and then decreased by 68.5 g (95% CI: -110.5, -26.6) at concentrations from 40 to 70 nmol/L. This study provides the first epidemiological evidence that there was an inverted U shaped relationship between neonatal vitamin D status and fetal growth, and the risk of SGA reduced at moderate concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was designed to establish an individualized selection strategy for the two most common types of ureteroenteric anastomotic techniques (Bricker and Wallace anastomosis) used in ileal conduit (IC) diversion. Methods: Patients who underwent IC diversion after radical cystectomy for transitional cell carcinoma between January 2009 and December 2011 were prospectively collected. The choice of anastomosis type (Bricker vs. Wallace) was successively based on tumor characteristics, ureteral anomalies, and ureteral length after retrosigmoidal tunneling. Results: Ninety-nine patients were enrolled in the final study. Fifty-three patients underwent Bricker anastomosis, and 46 underwent Wallace anastomosis. Ureteral stricture developed in 6 (6.1 %) patients and the overall stricture rate for all ureters was 3.1 % (6/196). Strictures occurred at an average of 13.3 months after surgery and were predominately located in the left ureter (66.7 %, 4/6). The difference in the ureter stricture rates between the two groups was not statistically significant: 3.8 % (4/104) and 2.2 % (2/92) for Bricker and Wallace, respectively ( p = 0.686). There were no significant differences in age, sex, body mass index (BMI), prevalence of pelvic radiation therapy, length of stay, follow-up time, or time to stricture between the two techniques. Patients in whom stricture developed had a significantly higher mean BMI compared with those without stricture (25.2 vs. 23.3 kg/m, respectively; p = 0.008). Conclusions: Our preliminary outcomes demonstrate that this selection strategy of Bricker vs. Wallace anastomosis seems to be clinically reliable, providing an acceptable low ureteral stricture rate of 3.1 %. However, the potential advantage for oncologic control of this strategy is needed to further confirm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Acupuncture & Tuina Science is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates the semi-online machine covering problem on three special uniform machines with the known largest size. Denote by s the speed of each machine, j = 1, 2, 3. Assume 0 < s = s = r ≤ t = s, and let s = t/r be the speed ratio. An algorithm with competitive ratio $$\max \left\{ {2,\tfrac{{3s + 6}} {{s + 6}}} \right\}$$ is presented. We also show the lower bound is at least $$\max \left\{ {2,\tfrac{{3s}} {{s + 6}}} \right\}$$. For s ≤ 6, the algorithm is an optimal algorithm with the competitive ratio 2. Besides, its overall competitive ratio is 3 which matches the overall lower bound. The algorithm and the lower bound in this paper improve the results of Luo and Sun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent experimental evidence support the model in which the simultaneous induction of BMI-1 and USP22 is critical during cancer progression. Whether this model may affect gastric cancer (GC) progression is worthy of additional study. In this study, we examined the significance of the USP22 and BMI-1 expression in GC ( n = 219), non-cancerous mucosa ( n = 37), and lymph node metastasis ( n = 37). The protein expression level of USP22 and BMI-1 were concomitantly up-regulated from non-cancerous mucosa to primary carcinoma and from carcinomas to lymph node metastasis ( P < 0.001). A statistical correlation was observed between USP22 and BMI-1 expression in GC tissues ( n = 219, r = 0.634, P < 0.001) and in lymph node metastasis ( n = 37, r = 0.689, P < 0.001). The incidence of positive expression was 57.08% for USP22, 49.32% for BMI-1, and 45.21% for USP22/BMI-1 in 219 GC tissues, respectively. Co-positive of USP22/BMI-1 was significantly correlated with gross features ( x = 14.256, P < 0.001), differentiation ( x = 5.872, P = 0.015), pT classification ( x = 18.486, P < 0.001), pN classification ( x = 9.604, P = 0.002), pM classification ( x = 32.766, P < 0.001), and AJCC stage ( x = 58.278, P < 0.001). Notably, high USP22/BMI-1 expression was significantly associated with shorter disease-specific survival ( P < 0.001). By Cox regression analysis, co-positive of USP22/BMI-1 was found to be an independent prognostic factor ( P = 0.002). Our results indicated the simultaneous activation of USP22 and BMI-1 may associate with GC progression and therapy failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates semi-online scheduling on two uniform machines with the known largest size. Denote by s the speed of each machine, j=1,2. Assume 0< s≤ s, and let s= s/ s be the speed ratio. First, for the speed ratio $s\in [1,\sqrt{2}]$ , we present an optimal semi-online algorithm $\mathcal{LSMP}$ with the competitive ratio $\mathrm{max}\{\frac {2(s+1)}{2s+1},s\}$ . Second, we present a semi-online algorithm $\mathcal{HSMP}$ . And for $s\in(\sqrt{2},1+\sqrt{3})$ , the competitive ratio of $\mathcal{HSMP}$ is strictly smaller than that of the online algorithm $\mathcal{LS}$ . Finally, for the speed ratio s≥ s≈3.715, we show that the known largest size cannot help us to design a semi-online algorithm with the competitive ratio strictly smaller than that of $\mathcal{LS}$ . Moreover, we show a lower bound for $s\in(\sqrt{2},s^{*})$ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]