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Cisplatin is an important platinum drug in cancer chemotherapy in clinical practice. It is well established that the main target of cisplatin is nuclear DNA. However, recent studies have demonstrated that platinum drugs may act on some important functional proteins in the human body. E-cadherin is a newly discovered glycoprotein that has been regarded as an important sign of the occurrence and development of some tumors. This study examines the interactions between cisplatin and E-cadherin by fluorescence spectrometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The fluorescence spectrometry results indicated that cisplatin can efficiently quench the fluorescence of E-cadherin. The calculated binding constant Kb was 3.20 × 106 (25 ℃), 1.36 × 106(31 ℃), and 8.22 × 105 L mol−1 (37 ℃). These results reveal that the fluorescence quenching effect of cisplatin on E-cadherin is static quenching. The obtained thermodynamic parameters ΔH < 0, ΔS < 0, and ΔG < 0, indicate that the binding of cisplatin on E-cadherin is a spontaneous process dominated by hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals forces. The AFM results revealed that E-cadherins are interlaced with each other to form a spherical-chain structure. The addition of cisplatin can significantly disrupt the interlaced structure of the E-cadherin molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distilling actionable patterns from large-scale streaming data in the presence of concept drift is a challenging problem, especially when data is polluted with noisy labels. To date, various data stream mining algorithms have been proposed and extensively used in many real-world applications. Considering the functional complementation of classical online learning algorithms and with the goal of combining their advantages, we propose an Online Ensemble Classification (OEC) algorithm to integrate the predictions obtained by different base online classification algorithms. The proposed OEC method works by learning weights of different base classifiers dynamically through the classical Normalized Exponentiated Gradient (NEG) algorithm framework. As a result, the proposed OEC inherits the adaptability and flexibility of concept drift-tracking online classifiers, while maintaining the robustness of noise-resistant online classifiers. Theoretically, we show OEC algorithm is a low regret algorithm which makes it a good candidate to learn from noisy streaming data. Extensive experiments on both synthetic and real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed OEC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Molybdenum-containing dendritic mesoporous silica nanosphere (Mo-DMSN) catalysts were prepared by a one-step synthesis method and used as highly efficient catalysts for the transesterification of propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PM) and methyl acetate (MA) to propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (PMA). The nMo-DMSN catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, FT-IR, N2 adsorption–desorption and NH3-TPD. The results of FT-IR and XPS confirmed that Mo species enter into the framework of DMSN. Compared with those of the DMSN catalyst, the pore diameters and the acid density of the catalysts increased after the introduction of Mo. According to the results of NH3-TPD, the nMo-DMSN had both weak and medium acid sites, and the acid density increased with the increase of Mo content. The catalytic performance of these catalysts increases in the order of 0.075Mo-DMSN≈0.053Mo-DMSN≈0.036Mo-DMSN > 0.017Mo-DMSN > DMSN, which is consistent with the acid density of the catalysts. The 0.036Mo-DMSN catalyst still had excellent catalytic activity after 5 cycles. Therefore, the Mo-DMSN had significant activity and stability in the transesterification of PMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmission characteristics of terahertz waves in inhomogeneous magnetized dusty plasma are studied by using the shift-operator finite-difference-time-domain (SO-FDTD) method. The Epstein distribution model is employed to simulate the electron density distribution in dusty plasmas. The results given by the SO-FDTD method are in good agreement with those gotten by the Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin method. Both the left-hand and right-hand circularly polarized (LCP and RCP) waves are taken into account. The transmission characteristics of RCP waves are more complicated than LCP waves. The numerical results show that all the physical parameters, such as the electron density, dust particle density, dust particle radius, effective collision frequency, electron relaxation rate and external magnetic field intensity, and so on, can affect the propagation, absorption and reflection of terahertz waves in dusty plasma. These theoretical results may be useful for alleviating the "blackout" problem and improving electromagnetic waves communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, non-thermal plasma (NTP) technologies have found widespread application across diverse fields, including plant growth, medical science, and biological and environmental research. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is exceptionally sensitive to temperature changes. Notably, low-temperature stress primarily affects the germination and reproductive stages of rice, often leading to reduced crop yield. This study aimed to identify optimal conditions for enhancing rice seed germination and seedling growth under low temperatures using NTP technology. Our research indicated that NTP treatment at 15.0 kV for 30 s optimally promotes rice seed germination and growth under low-temperature stress. Furthermore, NTP treatment increases the activity and expression of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD), under low-temperature conditions. Moreover, it downregulates the expression of β-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] synthase I (KASI) and cis-epoxy carotenoid dioxygenase 3 (NCED3) and upregulates the expression of alternative oxidase (AOX1B), BREVIS RADIX-like homologous gene (BRXL2), WRKY transcription factor 29 (WRKY29), and EREBP transcription factor 2 (EREBP2) in roots after tandem 7 days low-temperature (16 ℃) and 7 days room-temperature (28 ℃) treatments. Transcriptomic analysis revealed the involvement of various key genes in phosphotransferase activity, phosphate-containing compound metabolic processes, and defense responses. These analyses provide comprehensive information on gene expression at the transcriptional level, offering new insights for a deeper understanding of candidate genes required for root growth in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study a holographic description of weak measurements in conformal field theories (CFTs). Weak measurements can be viewed as a soft projection that interpolates between an identity operator and a projection operator, and can induce an effective central charge distinct from the unmeasured CFT. We model the weak measurement by an interface brane, separating different geometries dual to the post-measurement state and the unmeasured CFT, respectively. In an infinite system, the weak measurement is related to ICFT via a spacetime rotation. We find that the holographic entanglement entropy with twist operators located on the defect is consistent in both calculations for ICFT and weak measurements. We additionally calculate the boundary entropy via holographic entanglement as well as partition function. In a finite system, the weak measurement can lead to a rich phase diagram: for marginal measurements the emergent brane separates two AdS geometries, while for irrelevant measurements the post-measurement geometry features an AdS spacetime and a black hole spacetime that are separated by the brane. Although the measurement is irrelevant in the later phase, the post-measurement geometry can realize a Python's lunch. Finally, we discuss the thick brane construction for measurement and higher-dimension extensions of our model. For these general cases, our results above are still shown to be valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quorum sensing (QS) is a crucial regulatory mechanism controlling bacterial signalling and holds promise for novel therapies against antimicrobial resistance. In Gram-positive bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, ComA is a conserved efflux pump responsible for the maturation and secretion of peptide signals, including the competence-stimulating peptide (CSP), yet its structure and function remain unclear. Here, we functionally characterize ComA as an ABC transporter with high ATP affinity and determined its cryo-EM structures in the presence or absence of CSP or nucleotides. Our findings reveal a network of strong electrostatic interactions unique to ComA at the intracellular gate, a putative binding pocket for two CSP molecules, and negatively charged residues facilitating CSP translocation. Mutations of these residues affect ComA's peptidase activity in-vitro and prevent CSP export in-vivo. We demonstrate that ATP-Mg2+ triggers the outward-facing conformation of ComA for CSP release, rather than ATP alone. Our study provides molecular insights into the QS signal peptide secretion, highlighting potential targets for QS-targeting drugs. Quorum sensing is a regulatory mechanism controlling bacterial signaling and ComA, a conserved efflux pump, is responsible for the maturation and secretion of peptide signals. Here, authors determine the 3D structure and demonstrate its function as an ABC transporter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the entanglement transition in monitored Brownian SYK chains in the large-N limit. Without measurement the steady state n-th Rényi entropy is obtained by summing over a class of solutions, and is found to saturate to the Page value in the n → 1 limit. In the presence of measurements, the analytical continuation n → 1 is performed using the cyclic symmetric solution. The result shows that as the monitoring rate increases, a continuous von Neumann entanglement entropy transition from volume-law to area-law occurs at the point of replica symmetry unbreaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krylov complexity measures the spread of the wavefunction in the Krylov basis, which is constructed using the Hamiltonian and an initial state. We investigate the evolution of the maximally entangled state in the Krylov basis for both chaotic and non-chaotic systems. For this purpose, we derive an Ehrenfest theorem for the Krylov complexity, which reveals its close relation to the spectrum. Our findings suggest that neither the linear growth nor the saturation of Krylov complexity is necessarily associated with chaos. However, for chaotic systems, we observe a universal rise-slope-ramp-plateau behavior in the transition probability from the initial state to one of the Krylov basis states. Moreover, a long ramp in the transition probability is a signal for spectral rigidity, characterizing quantum chaos. Also, this ramp is directly responsible for the late-time peak of Krylov complexity observed in the literature. On the other hand, for non-chaotic systems, this long ramp is absent. Therefore, our results help to clarify which features of the wave function time evolution in Krylov space characterize chaos. We exemplify this by considering the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model with two-body or four-body interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How rapidly can a many-body quantum system generate randomness? Using path integral methods, we demonstrate that Brownian quantum systems have circuit complexity that grows linearly with time. In particular, we study Brownian clusters of N spins or fermions with time-dependent all-to-all interactions, and calculate the Frame Potential to characterize complexity growth in these models. In both cases the problem can be mapped to an effective statistical mechanics problem which we study using path integral methods. Within this framework it is straightforward to show that the kth Frame Potential comes within ϵ of the Haar value after a time of order t ~ kN + k log k + log ϵ−1. Using a bound on the diamond norm, this implies that such circuits are capable of coming very close to a unitary k-design after a time of order t ~ kN. We also consider the same question for systems with a time-independent Hamiltonian and argue that a small amount of time-dependent randomness is sufficient to generate a k-design in linear time provided the underlying Hamiltonian is quantum chaotic. These models provide explicit examples of linear complexity growth that are analytically tractable and are directly applicable to practical applications calling for unitary k-designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultra-sensitive accelerometer onboard low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite can measure the non-gravitational accelerations acting on the satellite in an adequate range and frequency bandwidth with high precision. By replacing the non-gravitational force models, accelerometer measurements are introduced in GNSS-based precise orbit and baseline determination (POD and PBD) to improve the quality of the derived orbit and baseline solutions. A modified accelerometer measurement processing strategy is employed, and 1 month of flight data collected by the GRACE and GRACE-FO missions are processed. For single-satellite POD, the obtained orbit solutions are evaluated through comparisons to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory reduced-dynamic orbits, independent satellite laser ranging (SLR) and K-Band ranging (KBR) measurements. Orbit comparison and SLR validation results show comparable accuracy of the orbit solutions derived with non-gravitational force models and accelerometer measurements. However, the KBR validation reports that the relative position precision is considerably improved by 22 and 27% for GRACE and GRACE-FO, respectively. For dual-satellite PBD, the obtained baseline solutions are also evaluated by the KBR measurements. The validation results reveal that the baselines are improved significantly with the high-precision accelerometer measurements. The KBR residuals are reduced from 0.59 to 0.43 mm for GRACE, and from 0.62 to 0.48 mm for GRACE-FO, with the precision being notably improved by 27 and 23%, respectively. Furthermore, in addition to the analysis in the time domain, we find that the performances of the accelerometer measurements are more remarkable in the frequency domain for both POD and PBD, where more than 67% of the KBR residuals are reduced within the frequency interval of 1.5 to 5 cycles per revolution. These results, therefore, demonstrate the great potential of high-precision accelerometer measurements in dynamic POD and PBD, which can offer more precise relative orbits for formation-flying LEO satellites, particularly in the frequency domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extend the results of arXiv:2209.12903 by studying local projective measurements performed on subregions of two copies of a CFT2 in the thermofield double state and investigating their consequences on the bulk double-sided black hole holographic dual. We focus on CFTs defined on an infinite line and consider measurements of both finite and semi-infinite subregions. In the former case, the connectivity of the bulk spacetime is preserved after the measurement. In the latter case, the measurement of two semi-infinite intervals in one CFT or of one semi-infinite interval in each CFT can destroy the Einstein-Rosen bridge and disconnect the bulk dual spacetime. In particular, we find that a transition between a connected and disconnected phase occurs depending on the relative size of the measured and unmeasured subregions and on the specific Cardy state the measured subregions are projected on. We identify this phase transition as an entangled/disentangled phase transition of the dual CFT system by computing the post-measurement holographic entanglement entropy between the two CFTs. We also find that bulk information encoded in one CFT in the absence of measurement can sometimes be reconstructed from the other CFT when a measurement is performed, or can be erased by the measurement. Finally, we show that a purely CFT calculation of the Renyi entropy using the replica trick yields results compatible with those obtained in our bulk analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to holography, entanglement is the building block of spacetime; therefore, drastic changes of entanglement will lead to interesting transitions in the dual spacetime. In this paper, we study the effect of projective measurements on the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model’s thermofield double state, dual to an eternal black hole in Jackiw-Teitelboim (JT) gravity. We calculate the (Renyi-2) mutual information between the two copies of the SYK model upon projective measurement of a subset of fermions in one copy. We propose a dual JT gravity model that can account for the change of entanglement due to measurement, and observe an entanglement wedge phase transition in the von Neumann entropy. The entanglement wedge for the unmeasured side changes from the region outside the horizon to include the entire time reversal invariant slice of the two-sided geometry as the number of measured Majorana fermions increases. Therefore, after the transition, the bulk information stored in the measured subsystem is not entirely lost upon projection in one copy of the SYK model, but rather teleported to the other copy. We further propose a decoding protocol to elucidate the teleportation interpretation, and connect our analysis to the physics of traversable wormholes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holography has taught us that spacetime is emergent and its properties depend on the entanglement structure of the dual theory. In this paper, we describe how changes in the entanglement due to a local projective measurement (LPM) on a subregion A of the boundary theory modify the bulk dual spacetime. We find that LPMs destroy portions of the bulk geometry, yielding post-measurement bulk spacetimes dual to the complementary unmeasured region Ac that are cut off by end-of-the-world branes. Using a bulk calculation in AdS3 and tensor network models of holography (in particular, the HaPPY code and random tensor networks), we show that the portions of the bulk geometry that are preserved after the measurement depend on the size of A and the state we project onto. The post-measurement bulk dual to Ac includes regions that were originally part of the entanglement wedge of A prior to measurement. This suggests that LPMs performed on a boundary subregion A teleport part of the bulk information originally encoded in A into the complementary region Ac. In semiclassical holography an arbitrary amount of bulk information can be teleported in this way, while in tensor network models the teleported information is upper-bounded by the amount of entanglement shared between A and Ac due to finite-N effects. When A is the union of two disjoint subregions, the measurement triggers an entangled/disentangled phase transition between the remaining two unmeasured subregions, corresponding to a connected/disconnected phase transition in the bulk description. Our results shed new light on the effects of measurement on the entanglement structure of holographic theories and give insight on how bulk information can be manipulated from the boundary theory. They could also represent a first step towards a holographic description of measurement-induced phase transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate atrophy patterns in hypothalamic subunits at different stages of ALS and examine correlations between hypothalamic subunit volume and clinical information. Methods: We used the King's clinical staging system to divide 91 consecutive ALS patients into the different disease stages. We investigated patterns of hypothalamic atrophy using a recently published automated segmentation method in ALS patients and in 97 healthy controls. We recorded all subjects' demographic and clinical information. Results: Compared with healthy controls, we found significant atrophy in the bilateral anterior–superior subunit and the superior tubular subunit, as well as a reduction in global hypothalamic volume in ALS patients. When we used the King's clinical staging system to divide patients into the different disease stages, we found neither global nor specific subunit atrophy until King's stage 3 in the hypothalamus. Moreover, specific subunit volumes were significantly associated with body mass index. Conclusions: In a relatively large sample of Chinese patients with ALS, using a recently published automated segmentation method for the hypothalamus, we found the pattern of hypothalamic atrophy in ALS patients differed greatly across King's clinical disease stages. Moreover, specific hypothalamic subunit atrophy may play an important role in energy metabolism in ALS patients. Thus, our findings suggest that hypothalamic atrophy may have potential phenotypic associations, and improved energy metabolism may become an important component of individualised therapy for ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscopic speed limits that constrain the motion of matter, energy, and information abound in physics, from the “ultimate” speed limit set by light to Lieb-Robinson speed limits in quantum spin systems. In addition to these state-independent speed limits, systems can also be governed by emergent state-dependent speed limits indicating slow dynamics arising, for example, from slow low-energy quasiparticles. Here we describe a different kind of speed limit: a situation where complex information/entanglement spreads rapidly, in a fashion inconsistent with any speed limit, but where simple signals continue to obey an approximate speed limit. If we take the point of view that the motion of simple signals defines the local spacetime geometry of the universe, then the effects we describe show that spacetime locality can be compatible with a high degree of non-local interactions provided these are sufficiently chaotic. With this perspective, we sharpen a puzzle about black holes recently raised by Shor and propose a schematic resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize the clinical and pathological features of anti-HMGCR myopathy. Methods: The presence of anti-HMGCR antibody in the serum of 227 patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) and 100 healthy control individuals was assessed by ELISA. All ELISA positive samples were retested by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIFA) on HEK293 cells. The clinical findings, muscle pathological features, and treatment outcomes of patients with anti-HMGCR myopathy, along with comparisons between anti-HMGCR myopathy with and without dermatomyositis (DM)-like skin rashes, and among MSA-based subgroups were analyzed. Results: We established an optimized ELISA cutoff for anti-HMGCR antibody positivity as ≥ 5.28 U. The overall concordance between ELISA and IIFA was 96.83%. Twenty-one out of 227 IIM patients were anti-HMGCR-positive by both assays. Of these 21 patients, 9 had DM-like skin rashes, and 16 showed remarkable muscle inflammation; 5 patients were juvenile-onset, and 2 received statin treatment. The muscle biopsies from these patients demonstrated variable muscle necrosis and T cell infiltration. Most anti-HMGCR-positive patients achieved favorable outcomes following prednisone and additional immunotherapies. The anti-HMGCR myopathy patients with DM-like rashes, compared to those without DM-like rashes, were younger and had a shorter disease duration. Conclusions: Optimization of cutoff of anti-HMGCR antibody assays with confirmation by alternative assays can result in higher sensitivity and specificity. DM-like skin rashes and lymphocytic infiltrates were not rare in patients with anti-HMGCR myopathy. These findings suggest that while anti-HMGCR myopathy may overlap with DM-like rash, it is pathologically different from classic DM, and should be considered a distinct subgroup of IIM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies demonstrated that diabetic stroke patients had a poor prognosis and excess complement system activation in the peripheral blood. In this study, the association of serum complement levels with the prognosis of diabetic stroke was examined. Patients with acute ischemic stroke were recruited and were divided into two groups according to their history of diabetes. Baseline data on the admission, including C3 and C4 were collected. Neurologic function at discharge was the primary outcome and was quantified by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). A total of 426 patients with acute ischemic stroke (116 diabetic strokes and 310 non-diabetic strokes) were recruited in this study. There were significant differences between the two groups in hypertension, coronary disease, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, C4, and mortality rates. Furthermore, the values of complement protein levels were divided into tertiles. In the diabetic stroke group, serum C4 level at the acute phase in the upper third was independently associated with NIHSS score at discharge and concurrent infection. These associations were not significant in non-diabetic stroke. High serum C4 level at admission, as a unique significant predictor, was associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes in the diabetic stroke, independently of traditional risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to construct the fractional dynamical model is one of the most basic problems in fractional dynamics. However, for a long time, a large number of fractional differential equations of motion have been written directly by hand based on integer-order differential equations of motion. In this paper, we establish a new kind of fractional generalized Hamilton equation, and propose a new method to construct the fractional dynamical model, i.e. the fractional generalized Hamilton method with additional terms. As applications of the new method, we construct a series of new fractional dynamical models, which include a family of fractional Micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) with time-varying capacitance, a family of fractional Fokker-Planck model, two kinds of fractional Euler dynamical models of rigid body rotating around a fixed-point, three different kinds of fractional Van der Pol oscillator models and seven different kinds of fractional Duffing oscillator models. The successful construction of these models verifies the effectiveness and actual application value of the fractional generalized Hamilton method with additional terms. The work in this paper is of fundamental significance to the study of fractional dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinoresinol–lariciresinol reductases (PLRs) are enzymes involved in the lignan biosynthesis after the initial dimerization of two monolignols, and this represents the entry point for the synthesis of 8-8′ lignans and contributes greatly to their structural diversity. Of particular interest has been the determination of how differing substrate specificities are achieved with these enzymes. Here, we present crystal structures of IiPLR1 from Isatis indigotica and pinoresinol reductases (PrRs) AtPrR1 and AtPrR2 from Arabidopsis thaliana, in the apo, substrate-bound and product-bound states. Each structure contains a head-to-tail homodimer, and the catalytic pocket comprises structural elements from both monomers. β4 loop covers the top of the pocket, and residue 98 from the loop governs catalytic specificity. The substrate specificities of IiPLR1 and AtPrR2 can be switched via structure-guided mutagenesis. Our study provides insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the substrate specificity of PLRs/PrRs and suggests an efficient strategy for the large-scale commercial production of the pharmaceutically valuable compound lariciresinol. Pinoresinol–lariciresinol reductases (PLRs) are enzymes involved in the lignan biosynthesis. Here, crystal structures of three PLRs in the apo, substrate-bound and product-bound states, and accompanying mutagenesis provide insight into PLRs catalytic mechanism and suggest a strategy for PLR engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the time evolution of Rényi entropy in a system of two coupled Brownian SYK clusters evolving from an initial product state. The Rényi entropy of one cluster grows linearly and then saturates to the coarse grained entropy. This Page curve is obtained by two different methods, a path integral saddle point analysis and an operator dynamics analysis. Using the Brownian character of the dynamics, we derive a master equation which controls the operator dynamics and gives the Page curve for purity. Insight into the physics of this complicated master equation is provided by a complementary path integral method: replica diagonal and non-diagonal saddles are responsible for the linear growth and saturation of Ŕenyi entropy, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concepts of operator size and computational complexity play important roles in the study of quantum chaos and holographic duality because they help characterize the structure of time-evolving Heisenberg operators. It is particularly important to understand how these microscopically defined measures of complexity are related to notions of complexity defined in terms of a dual holographic geometry, such as complexity-volume (CV) duality. Here we study partially entangled thermal states in the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model and their dual description in terms of operators inserted in the interior of a black hole in Jackiw-Teitelboim (JT) gravity. We compare a microscopic definition of complexity in the SYK model known as K-complexity to calculations using CV duality in JT gravity and find that both quantities show an exponential-to-linear growth behavior. We also calculate the growth of operator size under time evolution and find connections between size and complexity. While the notion of operator size saturates at the scrambling time, our study suggests that complexity, which is well defined in both quantum systems and gravity theories, can serve as a useful measure of operator evolution at both early and late times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gloeostereum incarnatum is an edible medicinal mushroom widely grown in China. Using the whole genome of G. incarnatum, simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed and synthetic primers were designed to construct its first genetic linkage map. The 1,048.6 cm map is composed of 10 linkage groups and contains 183 SSR markers. In total, 112 genome assembly sequences were anchored, representing 16.43 Mb and covering 46.41% of the genome. Selfing populations were used for quantitative trait loci (QTL) targeting, and the composite interval mapping method was used to co-localize the mycelium growth rate (potato dextrose agar and sawdust), growth period, yield and fruiting body length, and width and thickness. The 14 QTLs of agronomic traits had LOD values of 3.20–6.51 and contribution rates of 2.22–13.18%. No linkage relationship was found between the mycelium growth rate and the growth period, but a linkage relationship was observed among the length, width and thickness of the fruiting bodies. Using NCBI's BLAST alignment, the genomic sequences corresponding to the QTL regions were compared, and a TPR-like protein candidate gene was selected. Using whole-genome data, 138 candidate genes were found in four sequence fragments of two SSR markers located in the same scaffold. The genetic map and QTLs established in this study will aid in developing selective markers for agronomic traits and identifying corresponding genes, thereby providing a scientific basis for the further gene mapping of quantitative traits and the marker-assisted selection of functional genes in G. incarnatum breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a kernel-blending connection approximated by a neural network (KBNN) for image classification. A kernel mapping connection structure, guaranteed by the function approximation theorem, is devised to blend feature extraction and feature classification through neural network learning. First, a feature extractor learns features from the raw images. Next, an automatically constructed kernel mapping connection maps the feature vectors into a feature space. Finally, a linear classifier is used as an output layer of the neural network to provide classification results. Furthermore, a novel loss function involving a cross-entropy loss and a hinge loss is proposed to improve the generalizability of the neural network. Experimental results on three well-known image datasets illustrate that the proposed method has good classification accuracy and generalizability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survival analysis aims to predict the occurrence time of a particular event of interest, which is crucial for the prognosis analysis of diseases. Currently, due to the limited study period and potential losing tracks, the observed data inevitably involve some censored instances, and thus brings a unique challenge that distinguishes from the general regression problems. In addition, survival analysis also suffers from other inherent challenges such as the high-dimension and small-sample-size problems. To address these challenges, we propose a novel multi-task regression learning model, i.e., prior information guided transductive matrix completion (PigTMC) model, to predict the survival status of the new instances. Specifically, we use the multi-label transductive matrix completion framework to leverage the censored instances together with the uncensored instances as the training samples, and simultaneously employ the multi-task transductive feature selection scheme to alleviate the overfitting issue caused by high-dimension and small-sample-size data. In addition, we employ the prior temporal stability of the survival statuses at adjacent time intervals to guide survival analysis. Furthermore, we design an optimization algorithm with guaranteed convergence to solve the proposed PigTMC model. Finally, the extensive experiments performed on the real microarray gene expression datasets demonstrate that our proposed model outperforms the previously widely used competing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit, and Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) has been implicated in acne inflammation. Numerous studies have shown that non-coding RNAs play important roles in regulating the pathophysiological processes of acne. In addition, the first imprinted long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) identified, H19, plays a critical role in inflammatory disease. However, the expression and role of H19 in AV remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of H19 in keratinocytes and explored the regulatory mechanisms underlying these effects. H19 was upregulated in keratinocytes treated with P. acnes in a concentration-dependent manner. The phosphorylated forms of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB-related proteins IκBα (p-IκBα) and p65 (p-P65) were significantly upregulated after P. acnes treatment. Additionally, secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 was upregulated in a concentration-dependent manner. Knockdown of H19 inhibited the expression of p-IκBα and p-P65 as well as the secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 in keratinocytes treated with P. acnes. Moreover, H19 was found to exert its proinflammatory effects by activating NF-κB. H19, which was localized mainly in the cytoplasm of keratinocytes, facilitated Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) expression by acting as a miR-196a sponge. H19 thus promoted the activation of NF-κB and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines through the miR-196a/TLR2 axis. These findings provide novel insight into the pathogenesis of AV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are 9 major coal-accumulating periods during geological history in China, including the Early Carboniferous, Late Carboniferous-Early Permian, Middle Permian, Late Permian, Late Triassic, Early-Middle Jurassic, Early Cretaceous, Paleogene and Neogene. The coal formed in these periods were developed in different coal-accumulating areas (CAA) including the North China, South China, Northwest China, Northeast China, the Qinghai–Tibet area, and China offshore area. In this paper, we investigated depositional environments, sequence stratigraphy, lithofacies paleogeography and coal accumulation pattern of five major coal-accumulating periods including the Late Carboniferous to Middle Permian of the North China CAA, the Late Permian of the South China CAA, the Late Triassic of the South China CAA, the Early-Middle Jurassic of the North and Northwest China CAA, and the Early Cretaceous in the Northeast China CAA. According to distribution of the coal-bearing strata and the regional tectonic outlines, we have identified distribution range of the coal-forming basins, sedimentary facies types and coal-accumulating models. The sequence stratigraphic frameworks of the major coal-accumulating periods were established based on recognition of a variety of sequence boundaries. The distribution of thick coals and migration patterns of the coal-accumulating centers in the sequence stratigraphic framework were analyzed. The lithofacies paleogeography maps based on third-order sequences were reconstructed and the distribution of coal accumulation centers and coal-rich belts were predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early Cretaceous is an important coal accumulation period in China. Abundant coal resources were formed in the southeastern margin of Songliao Basin. Sequence stratigraphy and coal accumulation of the Early Cretaceous in the southeastern margin of Songliao Basin have been studied on the basis of extensive outcrop and borehole data. Based on regional unconformity, basal erosional surfaces of incised valley fills, and abrupt depositional facies-reversal surface, six sequence boundaries have been identified, which subdivide the Early Cretaceous coal-bearing series into 5 third-order sequences. Sequence I corresponds to Huoshiling Formation, sequences II and III correspond to member I and member II of Shahezi Formation. Sequences IV and V correspond to member I and member II of Yingcheng Formation. Sequence I developed at the initial subsiding stage, sequence II and III developed during the stable subsiding stage, while sequence IV and V developed during the basin shrinkage stage. The major coal seams were developed in the sequence II and III, which ensured the relative balance between the increase rate of the accommodation space and the rate of peat accumulation for a longer period, thus forming a thick coal seam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tiangong-2 is the first Chinese real space laboratory, launched into earth orbit with an altitude of approximately 393 km on September 15, 2016. Precise orbit determination (POD) is one of the essential conditions for conducting onboard scientific research. The precise orbit of Tiangong-2 is mainly determined by the reduced-dynamic method using space-borne global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data, which are collected by an onboard dual-frequency GNSS receiver. The in-flight performance of the receiver is first assessed in terms of tracking ability, code multipath errors and noise levels of code and carrier phase observations. Then, the effects of refined non-gravitational force models and GNSS antenna phase center variations (PCVs) on the POD are analyzed. The estimated empirical accelerations are substantially reduced by 45% in the along-track direction using a macro-model compared to that using a cannonball model for drag computation. The application of antenna PCVs correction leads to better consistency between reduced-dynamic and kinematic orbit solutions. Satellite laser ranging validation shows that the accuracy of Tiangong-2 precise orbits is 1.7 cm after using the improved reduced-dynamic method. Based on the orbit determination results, the quality of Tiangong-2 orbit predictions is assessed for periods without and with the refined non-gravitational force models. The use of the macro-model and high-quality density models for drag computation is shown to help improve orbit prediction quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate and compare the accurate activation energy variations of two kinds of deposited clays (i.e. non-organic clay and organic clay), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) was firstly conducted to study the reaction characteristics of the two clay samples. Two periods of weight losses were observed according to each TGA curve for both clay samples. The first period happened due to water evaporation, while the second period was mainly caused by the composition reactions of clay minerals, especially influenced by the de-hydroxylation of kaolinite. An obvious phenomenon is that the organic clay with a high soil organic matter (SOM) has a higher activity energy. Then, four common kinetics models [i.e. the Coats-Redfern method, the Doyle integral method, the maximum rate method, and the distributed activation energy model (DAEM)] were used to calculate and compare the activation energy values. And the Doyle integral method and the DAEM method are considered as two recommended models to analyze the activation energy performance during thermal treatment. Some interesting conclusions can be summarized as: (1) The multi-period reactions of deposited clays during the heating process are common, especially for organic clay. It would be beneficial knowing its biomass resource feasibility concerning the second weight loss; (2) The high SOM has a significant influence on the potential energy unitization of deposited clays, while the variations of activity energy for deposited clays are influenced by the mineral compositions and microstructure features; (3) It is possible to evaluate the accurate activity energy of deposited clays combined with TGA tests and two recommended models (i.e. the Doyle integral method and DAEM method). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acid production from Chlorella vulgaris under nitrogen starvation in autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic cultures was investigated and compared in this study. Both the biomass and fatty acid productivities of mixotrophic algal cells exceed the combination of autotrophic and heterotrophic cells when acetate was adopted as the organic carbon source, and fatty acid productivity from mixotrophic culture (130 mg L−1 day−1) is 1.9 times greater than the combination of autotrophic (15 mg L−1 day−1) and heterotrophic (51 mg L−1 day−1) cultures. C18:1 is the predominant fatty acid accounting for 60.4 and 64.5% of the total fatty acids in the mixotrophic and heterotrophic cultures, respectively. Moreover, the fatty acid yield from mixotrophic culture is almost two times greater than from heterotrophic culture. Proteomic analysis revealed that the activity of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is improved in mixotrophic culture when compared with heterotrophic culture, leading to more fatty acid synthesis in C. vulgaris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Host-plant volatiles play a key role in finding mate and suitable host plants of phytophagous scarab beetles. Hence it is immensely important to collect and identify these volatiles. The gas chromatography coupled with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) technique has been used as a rapid and convenient tool for the identification of physiologically active components from plants. Here, we describe a practical method for electrophysiologically recording from lamellated antenna of scarab beetles. This method enables direct electroantennogram (EAG) recordings from antennal club without damage to the antenna in a similar manner to the conventional cut-tip EAG recording technique for clavate antenna. The headspace volatiles from walnut (Juglans regia L.) trees were collected with a Poropak-Q trap at dusk and then analyzed with GC-EAD. Those volatile compounds that elicited electrophysiological responses on the antennae of a scarab beetle, Metabolus flavescens Brenske (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae: Melolonthinae) were determined by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The lamella directly connected to the recording electrode was held apart from the other two lamellae on the antenna with a minuten pin and a disposable syringe needle. In order to improve electrical contact, a surfactant, Tween® 80, was used to lower the surface tension of Beadle-Ephrussi Ringer solution. This study demonstrated that addition of 0.05% Tween® 80 to the Beadle-Ephrussi Ringer solution suppressed baseline noise and assured significantly greater EAG response in general. Due to its simplicity and efficiency, this method may also be useful for studying the electrophysiology of other insect species having club-like antennae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a new method of fractional dynamics, i.e., the fractional Mei symmetrical perturbation method of a disturbed system, and explore the adiabatic invariant directly led by the perturbation. For a dynamical system which is disturbed by small forces of perturbation, the disturbed fractional generalized Hamiltonian equation is investigated and, under a more general kind of fractional infinitesimal transformation of a Lie group, the fractional Mei symmetrical definition and determining equation of a disturbed dynamical system are given; then, the determining equation of fractional Mei symmetrical perturbation is obtained. In particular, we present the fractional Mei symmetrical perturbation method of a disturbed dynamical system and it is found that, using the new method, we can find a new kind of non-Noether adiabatic invariant directly led by the perturbation. As special cases, we obtain a new fractional Mei symmetrical conservation law of the undisturbed dynamical system and a Mei symmetrical perturbation theorem of the disturbed integer dynamical system. Also, as the fractional Mei symmetrical perturbation method’s applications, we find the adiabatic invariants of a disturbed fractional Duffing oscillator and a disturbed fractional Lotka biochemical oscillator. This work constructs a basic theoretical framework of fractional Mei symmetrical perturbation method and provides a general method of fractional dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a basic theory of fractional dynamics, i.e., the fractional conformal invariance of Mei symmetry, and find a new kind of conserved quantity led by fractional conformal invariance. For a dynamical system that can be transformed into fractional generalized Hamiltonian representation, we introduce a more general kind of single-parameter fractional infinitesimal transformation of Lie group, the definition and determining equation of fractional conformal invariance are given. And then, we reveal the fractional conformal invariance of Mei symmetry, and the necessary and sufficient condition whether the fractional conformal invariance would be the fractional Mei symmetry is found. In particular, we present the basic theory of fractional conformal invariance of Mei symmetry and it is found that, using the new approach, we can find a new kind of conserved quantity; as a special case, we find that an autonomous fractional generalized Hamiltonian system possesses more conserved quantities. Also, as the new method’s applications, we, respectively, find the conserved quantities of a fractional general relativistic Buchduhl model and a fractional Duffing oscillator led by fractional conformal invariance of Mei symmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we reveal the uncertainty and its fractional generalized Hamiltonian representation for the fractional and nonlinear problem and find general methods of constructing a family of fractional dynamical models. By using the definition of combined fractional derivative, we construct a unified fractional generalized Hamiltonian equation, a fractional generalized Hamiltonian equation with combined Riemann-Liouville derivative, and a fractional generalized Hamiltonian equation with combined Caputo derivative; also, as special cases, under the different definitions of fractional derivatives, we, respectively, obtain a series of different kinds of fractional generalized Hamiltonian equations. In particular, we present a new concept of the family of fractional dynamical models, and it is found that, using the fractional generalized Hamiltonian method, we can construct a series of families of fractional dynamical models. And then, as the new method's application, we construct three new kinds of families of fractional dynamical models, which include a family of fractional Lorentz-Dirac models, a family of fractional Lotka-Volterra models and a family of fractional Hénon-Heiles models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unified theory of quantum critical points beyond the conventional Landau-- Ginzburg--Wilson paradigm remains unknown. According to Landau cubic criterion, phase transitions should be first-order when cubic terms of order parameters are allowed by symmetry in the Landau--Ginzburg free energy. Here, from renormalization group analysis, we show that second-order quantum phase transitions can occur at such putatively first-order transitions in interacting two-dimensional Dirac semimetals. As such type of Landauforbidden quantum critical points are induced by gapless fermions, we call them fermioninduced quantum critical points. We further introduce a microscopic model of SU(N) fermions on the honeycomb lattice featuring a transition between Dirac semimetals and Kekule valence bond solids. Remarkably, our large-scale sign-problem-free Majorana quantum Monte Carlo simulations show convincing evidences of a fermion-induced quantum critical points for N = 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, consistent with the renormalization group analysis. We finally discuss possible experimental realizations of the fermion-induced quantum critical points in graphene and graphene-like materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a new type of fractional Lie symmetrical method for finding conserved quantities and explore its applications. For the fractional generalized Hamiltonian system, we introduce a new kind of single-parameter fractional infinitesimal transformation of Lie group in α−1 order space and, under this transformation, give the invariance of the fractional dynamical system and the fractional Lie symmetrical determining equation. Further, a number of important relationships of the fractional Lie symmetrical method are investigated, which reveal the interior properties of the system. By using these relationships, a fractional Lie symmetrical basic integral variable relation and a new fractional Lie symmetrical conservation law are presented. The new conserved quantity is constructed base on fractional Lie symmetrical infinitesimal generators and the interior properties of the system itself, without solving the complicated structural equation. Furthermore, the fractional Lie symmetrical method is applied to the fractional generalized Hamiltonian system of even dimensions. Also, as the new fractional Lie symmetrical method's applications, we respectively find the conserved quantities of a fractional Duffing oscillator model and a fractional Lotka biochemical oscillator model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a general method of finding conserved quantities, i.e., fractional Jacobi last multiplier method, and explore its applications to fractional dynamical system. Based on the definition of Riesz-Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative, we study general fractional dynamical equations, construct its fractional Jacobi last multiplier, and, respectively, give the determining equation and three important properties of the multiplier. And then, we present the fractional Jacobi last multiplier method, which includes three theorems of finding conserved quantities of fractional dynamical systems. Further, in fractional framework, we explore the relation between Lie symmetry and Jacobi last multiplier. Furthermore, the fractional Jacobi last multiplier method is applied to the fractional generalized Hamiltonian system, the complete fractional Hamiltonian system, the standard fractional Hamiltonian system, the fractional Nambu system and the fractional Birkhoffian system, and five corresponding propositions are given. Also by using the fractional Jacobi last multiplier method, we respectively find the conserved quantities of a fractional relativistic Buchdahl model, a fractional Euler-Poinsot model and a fractional Duffing oscillator model. This work constructs a basic theoretical framework of fractional Jacobi last multiplier method, and provides a general method of fractional dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the fractional Mei symmetrical method of finding conserved quantity and explore its applications to physics. For the fractional generalized Hamiltonian system, we introduce the fractional infinitesimal transformation of Lie groups and, under the transformation, give the fractional Mei symmetrical definition, criterion and determining equation. Then, we present the fractional Mei symmetrical theorem of finding conserved quantity. As the fractional Mei symmetrical method's applications, we respectively find the conserved quantities of a fractional general relativistic Buchduhl model, a fractional three-body model and a fractional Robbins-Lorenz model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper we construct a new kind of fractional dynamical model, i.e. the fractional relativistic Yamaleev oscillator model, and explore its dynamical behaviors. We will find that the fractional relativistic Yamaleev oscillator model possesses Lie algebraic structure and satisfies generalized Poisson conservation law. We will also give the Poisson conserved quantities of the model. Further, the relation between conserved quantities and integral invariants of the model is studied and it is proved that, by using the Poisson conserved quantities, we can construct integral invariants of the model. Finally, the stability of the manifold of equilibrium states of the fractional relativistic Yamaleev oscillator model is studied. The paper provides a general method, i.e. fractional generalized Hamiltonian method, for constructing a family of fractional dynamical models of an actual dynamical system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel readout circuit that serves to evaluate quantity of skin melanin in a noninvasive way via utilizing a photoplethysmography (PPG) optical sensor. PPG sensors are widely used nowadays for noninvasive diagnosis due to their salient features such as low cost and easy-to-useness. PPG signal is known highly correlated with human skin condition and cardiovascular system health. A new readout circuit featuring high-bandwidth, low-noise and low-power is designed in this study to evaluate quantitatively the melanin content of human skin based on PPG signals with high accuracy. This new readout circuit is intended to convert and amplify the electric current of the photo diode in the PPG sensor to voltage signals, and then being further properly amplified to the full dynamic range of the chip circuit fabricated by the TSMC 0.18 μm process for maximum S/N ratios. The designed circuit has a front-end transimpedance amplifier (TIA), 60 dB in gain, with a degenerate resistor to perform a low noise less than 3 µV/√Hz while operating by a 3.3 V supply. In related circuit designs, the mismatch in current sources caused by CMOS process variation is mitigated by a current steering digital-analog-converter (DAC) with least significant bit (LSB) corresponding to 1.25 µA. Both TIA and DAC are designed with effort to render high accuracy in the digital outputs for the levels of sensed melanin. The power consumption of chip design is as low as 1.5 mW, while the error rate between measurement and simulation result is less than 3 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a new fractional dynamical theory, i.e., the dynamics of a Nambu system with fractional derivatives (the fractional Nambu dynamics), and study its applications to mechanical systems. By using the definition of combined fractional derivative, we construct unified fractional Nambu equations and, respectively, give four new kinds of fractional Nambu equations based on the different definitions of fractional derivative. Further, we study the relations between the fractional Nambu system, the fractional generalized Hamiltonian system, the fractional Birkhoffian system, the fractional Hamiltonian system, the fractional Lagrangian system and a series of integer-order dynamical systems and present the transformation conditions. And furthermore, as applications of the fractional Nambu method, we construct two kinds of fractional dynamical models, which include the fractional Euler-Poinsot model of rigid body which rotates with respect to a fixed point and the fractional Yamaleev oscillator model. This work provides a general method for studying a fractional dynamical problem which is related to science and engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxypropyl chitosan (HP-chitosan) has been shown to have promising applications in a wide range of areas due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability and various biological activities, especially in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. However, it is not yet known about its pharmacokinetics and biodegradation performance, which are crucial for its clinical applications. In order to lay a foundation for its further applications and exploitations, here we carried out fluorescence intensity and GPC analyses to determine the pharmacokinetics mode of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled HP-chitosan (FITC-HP-chitosan) and its biodegradability. The results showed that after intraperitoneal administration at a dose of 10 mg per rat, FITC-HP-chitosan could be absorbed rapidly and distributed to liver, kidney and spleen through blood. It was indicated that FITC-HP-chitosan could be utilized effectively, and 88.47% of the FITC-HP-chitosan could be excreted by urine within 11 days with a molecular weight less than 10 kDa. Moreover, our data indicated that there was an obvious degradation process occurred in liver (< 10 kDa at 24 h). In summary, HP-chitosan has excellent bioavailability and biodegradability, suggesting the potential applications of hydroxypropyl-modified chitosan as materials in drug delivery, tissue engineering and biomedical area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyethyl chitosan (HE-chitosan) is a water-soluble derivative of chitosan with many apparent biological properties. For example, it is non-toxic and rapidly biodegradable. Moreover, HE-chitosan has advantages in water-solubility, moisture retention and gelling property due to its hydroxyethyl group. However, the biocompatibility and biodegradability of this multifunctional derivative have rarely been documented although they are critical for its application in biomedical and clinical treatments. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the biosafety of HE-chitosan, and draw important clues for its diverse applications. HE-chitosan was synthesized and characterized its chemical structure with FTIR. Its molecular weight (MW) was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and its deacetylation degree (DD) was investigated through potentiometric analysis. The cytotoxicity of HE-chitosan on mouse fibroblast cell L929 was tested. The biocompatibility and biodegradability of HE-chitosan in rat and rabbit were evaluated. The FTIR results indicated that the hydroxyethyl groups were linked to C6 of chitosan. The GPC analysis confirmed that its Mw was about 90.01 kDa. It was also demonstrated that HE-chitosan had excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability in vivo and had no cytotoxicity on L929. These findings indicated that HE-chitosan can potentially be applied as a biomaterial in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and other biomedical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]