MUST-CNN: A Multilayer Shift-and-Stitch Deep Convolutional Architecture for Sequence-based Protein Structure Prediction

Predicting protein properties such as solvent accessibility and secondary structure from its primary amino acid sequence is an important task in bioinformatics. Recently, a few deep learning models have surpassed the traditional window based multilayer perceptron. Taking inspiration from the image classification domain we propose a deep convolutional neural network architecture, MUST-CNN, to predict protein properties. This architecture uses a novel multilayer shift-and-stitch (MUST) technique to generate fully dense per-position predictions on protein sequences. Our model is significantly simpler than the state-of-the-art, yet achieves better results. By combining MUST and the efficient convolution operation, we can consider far more parameters while retaining very fast prediction speeds. We beat the state-of-the-art performance on two large protein property prediction datasets.Comment: 8 pages ; 3 figures ; deep learning based sequence-sequence prediction. in AAAI 201

NcRNA: key and potential in hearing loss

Hearing loss has an extremely high prevalence worldwide and brings incredible economic and social burdens. Mechanisms such as epigenetics are profoundly involved in the initiation and progression of hearing loss and potentially yield definite strategies for hearing loss treatment. Non-coding genes occupy 97% of the human genome, and their transcripts, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), are widely participated in regulating various physiological and pathological situations. NcRNAs, mainly including micro-RNAs (miRNAs), long-stranded non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are involved in the regulation of cell metabolism and cell death by modulating gene expression and protein-protein interactions, thus impacting the occurrence and prognosis of hearing loss. This review provides a detailed overview of ncRNAs, especially miRNAs and lncRNAs, in the pathogenesis of hearing loss. We also discuss the shortcomings and issues that need to be addressed in the study of hearing loss ncRNAs in the hope of providing viable therapeutic strategies for the precise treatment of hearing loss

A predictive model for early death in elderly colorectal cancer patients: a population-based study

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine what variables contribute to the early death of elderly colorectal cancer patients (ECRC) and to generate predictive nomograms for this population.MethodsThis retrospective cohort analysis included elderly individuals (≥75 years old) diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) from 2010-2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result databases (SEER) databases. The external validation was conducted using a sample of the Chinese population obtained from the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University. Logistic regression analyses were used to ascertain variables associated with early death and to develop nomograms. The nomograms were internally and externally validated with the help of the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsThe SEER cohort consisted of 28,111 individuals, while the Chinese cohort contained 315 cases. Logistic regression analyses shown that race, marital status, tumor size, Grade, T stage, N stage, M stage, brain metastasis, liver metastasis, bone metastasis, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were independent prognostic factors for all-cause and cancer-specific early death in ECRC patients; The variable of sex was only related to an increased risk of all-cause early death, whereas the factor of insurance status was solely associated with an increased risk of cancer-specific early death. Subsequently, two nomograms were devised to estimate the likelihood of all-cause and cancer-specific early death among individuals with ECRC. The nomograms exhibited robust predictive accuracy for predicting early death of ECRC patients, as evidenced by both internal and external validation.ConclusionWe developed two easy-to-use nomograms to predicting the likelihood of early death in ECRC patients, which would contribute significantly to the improvement of clinical decision-making and the formulation of personalized treatment approaches for this particular population

Spectral self-adaptive absorber/emitter for harvesting energy from the sun and outer space

The sun (~6000 K) and outer space (~3 K) are the original heat source and sink for human beings on Earth. The energy applications of absorbing solar irradiation and harvesting the coldness of outer space for energy utilization have attracted considerable interest from researchers. However, combining these two functions in a static device for continuous energy harvesting is unachievable due to the intrinsic infrared spectral conflict. In this study, we developed spectral self-adaptive absorber/emitter (SSA/E) for daytime photothermal and nighttime radiative sky cooling modes depending on the phase transition of the vanadium dioxide coated layer. A 24-hour day-night test showed that the fabricated SSA/E has continuous energy harvesting ability and improved overall energy utilization performance, thus showing remarkable potential in future energy applications.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

High-Qf value and temperature stable Zn2+-Mn4+ cooperated modified cordierite-based microwave and millimeter-wave dielectric ceramics

Cordierite-based dielectric ceramics with a lower dielectric constant would have significant application potential as dielectric resonator and filter materials for future ultra-low-latency 5G/6G millimeter-wave and terahertz communication. In this article, the phase structure, microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of Mg2Al4–2x(Mn0.5Zn0.5)2xSi5O18 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) ceramics are studied by crystal structure refinement, scanning electron microscope (SEM), the theory of complex chemical bonds and infrared reflectance spectrum. Meanwhile, complex double-ions coordinated substitution and two-phase complex methods were used to improve its Q×f value and adjust its temperature coefficient. The Q×f values of Mg2Al4–2x(Mn0.5Zn0.5)2xSi5O18 single-phase ceramics are increased from 45,000 [email protected] GHz (x = 0) to 150,500 [email protected] GHz (x = 0.15) by replacing Al3+ with Zn2+-Mn4+. The positive frequency temperature coefficient additive TiO2 is used to prepare the temperature stable Mg2Al3.7(Mn0.5Zn0.5)0.3Si5O18-ywt%TiO2 composite ceramic. The composite ceramic of Mg2Al3.7(Mn0.5Zn0.5)0.3Si5O18-ywt%TiO2 (8.7 wt% ≤ y ≤ 10.6 wt%) presents the near-zero frequency temperature coefficient at 1225 °C sintering temperature: εr = 5.68, Q×f = 58,040 GHz, τf = −3.1 ppm/°C (y = 8.7 wt%) and εr = 5.82, Q×f = 47,020 GHz, τf = +2.4 ppm/°C (y = 10.6 wt%). These findings demonstrate promising application prospects for 5 G and future microwave and millimeter-wave wireless communication technologies

White-light long-lasting phosphorescence from Tb 3+ -activated Y 2 O 2 S phosphor

Abstract The 3+ may be a promising material for the development of white-light long-lasting phosphor since the Tb 3+ has a high luminescent efficiency and the dominant excitation band of 4f -5d is located at 220-300 nm