Quantum Information Approach to Rotating Bose-Einstein Condensate

We investigate the 2D weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensate in a rotating trap by the tools of quantum information theory. The critical exponents of the ground state fidelity susceptibility and the correlation length of the system are obtained for the quantum phase transition when the frst vortex is formed. We also find the single-particle entanglement can be an indicator of the angular momentums for some real ground states. The single-particle entanglement of fractional quantum Hall states such as Laughlin state and Pfaffian state is also studied.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, minimal changes are mad

Quantum Information Approach to Bose-Einstein Condensate in a Tilted Double-Well System

We study the ground state properties of bosons in a tilted double-well system. We use fidelity susceptibility to identify the possible ground state transitions under different tilt values. For a very small tilt (for example $10^{-10}$), two transitions are found. For a moderate tilt (for example $10^{-3}$), only one transition is found. For a large tilt (for example $10^{-1}$), no transition is found. We explain this by analyzing the spectrum of the ground state. The quantum discord and total correlation of the ground state under different tilts are also calculated to indicate those transitions. In the transition region, both quantities have peaks decaying exponentially with particle number $N$. This means for a finite-size system the transition region cannot be explained by the mean-field theory, but in the large-$N$ limit it can be.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, slightly different from the published versio

MiRFinder: an improved approach and software implementation for genome-wide fast microRNA precursor scans

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recognized as one of the most important families of noncoding RNAs that serve as important sequence-specific post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Identification of miRNAs is an important requirement for understanding the mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation. Hundreds of miRNAs have been identified by direct cloning and computational approaches in several species. However, there are still many miRNAs that remain to be identified due to lack of either sequence features or robust algorithms to efficiently identify them. Results: We have evaluated features valuable for pre-miRNA prediction, such as the local secondary structure differences of the stem region of miRNA and non-miRNA hairpins. We have also established correlations between different types of mutations and the secondary structures of pre-miRNAs. Utilizing these features and combining some improvements of the current premiRNA prediction methods, we implemented a computational learning method SVM (support vector machine) to build a high throughput and good performance computational pre-miRNA prediction tool called MiRFinder. The tool was designed for genome-wise, pair-wise sequences from two related species. The method built into the tool consisted of two major steps: 1) genome wide search for hairpin candidates and 2) exclusion of the non-robust structures based on analysis of 18 parameters by the SVM method. Results from applying the tool for chicken/human and D. melanogaster/D. pseudoobscura pair-wise genome alignments showed that the tool can be used for genome wide pre-miRNA predictions. Conclusion: The MiRFinder can be a good alternative to current miRNA discovery software. This tool is available at http://www.bioinformatics.org/mirfinder/

MCP-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 are present in early aneurysmal dilatation in experimental rats.

Recent studies have suggested that inflammation actively participates in ascending aortic aneurysm formation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression changes of adhesion molecules and MMPs in an experimental model of ascending aortic aneurysm induced by ascending aorta banding in Wistar rats. Twelve rats developed aortic dilation after ascending aorta banding treatment, while nine normal animals underwent surgery without banding were used as controls. Light microscope and scanning electron microscope showed that the wall of the ascending aorta became disorganized as well as infiltration by inflammatory cells in aneurysmal rats. By using immunohistochemical techniques, a significant increase in the immunostaining of MCP-1 was observed in the aneurysmal wall as compared to the normal aortic wall. Under similar experimental conditions, we also found that the immunostaining of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 was markedly increased in the aneurysmal wall. In addition, gelatin zymographic analysis showed that the expression and activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were remarkably enhanced in the ascending aorta of ascending aortic aneurysmal rats as compared to normal rats. These results demonstrate that MCP-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 are involved in the pathogenesis of ascending aortic aneurysm and an increase in the immunostaining and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 may promote the progression of ascending aortic aneurysm

Extracellular Matrix Peptides of Artemia Cyst Shell Participate in Protecting Encysted Embryos from Extreme Environments

BACKGROUND: Many species of the brine shrimp Artemia are found in various severe environments in many parts of the world where extreme salinity, high UV radiation levels, high pH, anoxia, large temperature fluctuations, and intermittent dry conditions are often recorded. To withstand adverse environments, Artemia undergoes an oviparous developmental pathway to release cysts whereas, under favorable conditions, swimming nauplius larvae are formed directly via an ovoviviparous pathway. In the former case these cysts have an extraordinary ability to keep the embryos protected from the harsh environment for long periods. This is achieved through the protection by a complex out-wrapping cyst shell. However, the formation and function of the cyst shell is complex; the details remain largely unclear. PRINCIPAL FINDING: A shell gland-specific gene (SGEG2) was cloned and identified from a suppression subtractive hybridization library. Western blot analysis showed that SGEG2 presumably requires post-translational proteolysis in order to be processed into two mature peptides (SGEG2a and 2b). The three matrix peptides (SGEG1 reported previously, 2a, and 2b) were found to distribute throughout the cyst shell. The results of gene knockdown by RNAi and subsequent resistance to environmental stresses assays indicated that these matrix peptides are required for cyst shell formation and are involved in protecting the encysted embryos from environmental stress. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study revealed that extracellular matrix peptides participate in protecting embryos from extreme salinity, UV radiation, large temperature fluctuations and dry environments, thereby facilitating their survival. The cyst shell provides an excellent opportunity to link the ecological setting of an organism to the underlying physiological and biochemical processes enabling its survival. The cyst shell material has also a high potential to become an excellent new biomaterial with a high number of prospective uses due, specifically, to such biological characteristics

Genetic variation and relationships of eighteen Chinese indigenous pig breeds

Chinese indigenous pig breeds are recognized as an invaluable component of the world's pig genetic resources and are divided traditionally into six types. Twenty-six microsatellite markers recommended by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) and ISAG (International Society of Animal Genetics) were employed to analyze the genetic diversity of 18 Chinese indigenous pig breeds with 1001 individuals representing five types, and three commercial breeds with 184 individuals. The observed heterozygosity, unbiased expected heterozygosity and the observed and effective number of alleles were used to estimate the genetic variation of each indigenous breed. The unbiased expected heterozygosity ranged between 0.700 (Mashen) and 0.876 (Guanling), which implies that there is an abundant genetic variation stored in Chinese indigenous pig breeds. Breed differentiation was shown by fixation indices (FIT, FIS, and FST). The FST per locus varied from 0.019 (S0090) to 0.170 (SW951), and the average FST of all loci was 0.077, which means that most of the genetic variation was kept within breeds and only a little of the genetic variation exists between populations. The Neighbor-Joining tree was constructed based on the Nei DA (1978) distances and one large cluster with all local breeds but the Mashen breed, was obtained. Four smaller sub-clusters were also found, which included two to four breeds each. These results, however, did not completely agree with the traditional type of classification. A Neighbor-Joining dendrogram of individuals was established from the distance of – ln(proportions of shared alleles); 92.14% of the individuals were clustered with their own breeds, which implies that this method is useful for breed demarcation. This extensive research on pig genetic diversity in China indicates that these 18 Chinese indigenous breeds may have one common ancestor, helps us to better understand the relative distinctiveness of pig genetic resources, and will assist in developing a national plan for the conservation and utilization of Chinese indigenous pig breeds

N-[4-(β-d-Allopyranos­yloxy)benzyl­idene]methyl­amine

The title compound, C14H19NO6, was synthesized by the condensation reaction between hecilid (4-formyl­phenl-β-d-allopyran­oside) and methyl­amine in methanol. In the crystal structure, the pyran ring adopts a chair conformation and adjacent mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular O—H⋯O and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network