Experimental demonstration of flexible bandwidth networking with real-time impairment awareness

We demonstrate a flexible-bandwidth network testbed with a real-time, adaptive control plane that adjusts modulation format and spectrum-positioning to maintain quality of service (QoS) and high spectral efficiency. Here, low-speed supervisory channels and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) enabled real-time impairment detection of high-speed flexible bandwidth channels (flexpaths). Using premeasured correlation data between the supervisory channel quality of transmission (QoT) and flexpath QoT, the control plane adapted flexpath spectral efficiency and spectral location based on link quality. Experimental demonstrations show a back-to-back link with a 360-Gb/s flexpath in which the control plane adapts to varying link optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) by adjusting the flexpath's spectral efficiency (i.e., changing the flexpath modulation format) between binary phase-shift keying (BPSK), quaternary phase-shift keying (QPSK), and eight phase-shift keying (8PSK). This enables maintaining the data rate while using only the minimum necessary bandwidth and extending the OSNR range over which the bit error rate in the flexpath meets the quality of service (QoS) requirement (e. g. the forward error correction (FEC) limit). Further experimental demonstrations with two flexpaths show a control plane adapting to changes in OSNR on one link by changing the modulation format of the affected flexpath (220 Gb/s), and adjusting the spectral location of the other flexpath (120 Gb/s) to maintain a defragmented spectrum. (C) 2011 Optical Society of Americ

Application of isothermal titration calorimetry in evaluation of protein–nanoparticle interactions

Nanoparticles (NPs) offer a number of advantages over small organic molecules for controlling protein behaviour inside the cell. Protein binding to the surface of NPs depends on their surface characteristics, composition and method of preparation (Mandal et al. in J Hazard Mater 248–249:238–245, 2013). It is important to understand the binding affinities, stoichiometries and thermodynamical parameters of NP–protein interactions in order to see which interaction will have toxic and hazardous consequences and thus to prevent it. On the other side, because proteins are on the brink of stability, they may experience interactions with some types of NPs that are strong enough to cause denaturation or significantly change their conformations with concomitant loss of their biological function. Structural changes in the protein may cause exposure of new antigenic sites, “cryptic” peptide epitopes, potentially triggering an immune response which can promote autoimmune disease (Treuel et al. in ACS Nano 8(1):503–513, 2014). Mechanistic details of protein structural changes at NP surface have still remained elusive. Understanding the formation and persistence of the protein corona is critical issue; however, there are no many analytical methods which could provide detailed information about the NP–protein interaction characteristics and about protein structural changes caused by interactions with nanoparticles. The article reviews recent studies in NP–protein interactions research and application of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) in this research. The study of protein structural changes upon adsorption on nanoparticle surface and application of ITC in these studies is emphasized. The data illustrate that ITC is a versatile tool for evaluation of interactions between NPs and proteins. When coupled with other analytical methods, it is important analytical tool for monitoring conformational changes in proteins

Observation of a ppb mass threshoud enhancement in \psi^\prime\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi(J/\psi\to\gamma p\bar{p}) decay

The decay channel $\psi^\prime\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi(J/\psi\to\gamma p\bar{p})$ is studied using a sample of $1.06\times 10^8$ $\psi^\prime$ events collected by the BESIII experiment at BEPCII. A strong enhancement at threshold is observed in the $p\bar{p}$ invariant mass spectrum. The enhancement can be fit with an $S$-wave Breit-Wigner resonance function with a resulting peak mass of $M=1861^{+6}_{-13} {\rm (stat)}^{+7}_{-26} {\rm (syst)} {\rm MeV/}c^2$ and a narrow width that is $\Gamma<38 {\rm MeV/}c^2$ at the 90% confidence level. These results are consistent with published BESII results. These mass and width values do not match with those of any known meson resonance.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Chinese Physics

Distinct distribution and prognostic significance of molecular subtypes of breast cancer in Chinese women: a population-based cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Molecular classification of breast cancer is an important prognostic factor. The distribution of molecular subtypes of breast cancer and their prognostic value has not been well documented in Asians.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 2,791 breast cancer patients recruited for a population-based cohort study were evaluated for molecular subtypes of breast cancer by immunohistochemical assays. Data on clinicopathological characteristics were confirmed by centralized pathology review. The average follow-up of the patients was 53.4 months. Overall and disease-free survival by molecular subtypes of breast cancer were evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of the luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and triple-negative subtypes were 48.6%, 16.7%, 13.7%, and 12.9%, respectively. The luminal A subtype was more likely to be diagnosed in older women (P = 0.03) and had a stronger correlation with favorable clinicopathological factors (smaller tumor size, lower histologic grade, and earlier TNM stage) than the triple-negative or HER2 subtypes. Women with triple-negative breast cancer had a higher frequency of family history of breast cancer than women with other subtypes (P = 0.048). The 5-year overall/disease-free survival percentages for the luminal A, luminal B, HER2, and triple-negative subtypes were 92.9%/88.6%, 88.6%/85.1%, 83.2%/79.1%, and 80.7%/76.0%, respectively. A similar pattern was observed in multivariate analyses. Immunotherapy was associated with improved overall and disease-free survival for luminal A breast cancer, but reduced disease-free survival (HR = 2.21, 95% CI, 1.09-4.48) for the HER2 subtype of breast cancer.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The triple-negative and HER2 subtypes were associated with poorer outcomes compared with the luminal A subtype among these Chinese women. The HER2 subtype was more prevalent in this Chinese population compared with Western populations, suggesting the importance of standardized HER2 detection and anti-HER2 therapy to potentially benefit a high proportion of breast cancer patients in China.</p

Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes as Determined by Glycated Haemoglobin A1c and Glucose Levels in a Developing Southern Chinese Population

BACKGROUND: The American Diabetes Association and World Health Organization have recently adopted the HbA1c measurement as one method of diagnostic criteria for diabetes. The change in diagnostic criteria has important implications for diabetes treatment and prevention. We therefore investigate diabetes using HbA1c and glucose criteria together, and assess the prevalent trend in a developing southern Chinese population with 85 million residents. METHODS: A stratified multistage random sampling method was applied and a representative sample of 3590 residents 18 years of age or above was obtained in 2010. Each participant received a full medical check-up, including measurement of fasting plasma glucose, 2-hour post-load plasma glucose, and HbA1c. Information on history of diagnosis and treatment of diabetes was collected. The prevalence of diabetes obtained from the present survey was compared with the data from the survey in 2002. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes based on both glucose and HbA1c measurements was 21.7% (95% CI: 17.4%-26.1%) in 2010, which suggests that more than 1 in 5 adult residents were suffering from diabetes in this developing population. Only 12.9% (95% CI: 8.3%-17.6%) of diabetic residents were aware of their condition. The prevalence of pre-diabetes was 66.3% (95% CI: 62.7%-69.8%). The prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes which met all the three diagnostic thresholds (fast plasma glucose, 2 hour post-load plasma glucose, and HbA1c) was 3.1% and 5.2%, respectively. Diabetes and pre-diabetes as determined by HbA1c measurement had higher vascular risk than those determined by glucose levels. The prevalence of diabetes increased from 2.9% (95% CI: 2.0%-3.7%) in 2002 to 13.8% (95% CI: 10.2%-17.3%) in 2010 based on the same glucose criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the diabetes epidemic is accelerating in China. The awareness of diabetes is extremely low. The glucose test and HbA1c measurement should be used together to increase detection of diabetes and pre-diabetes

The growth pattern of transplanted normal and nodular hepatocytes

Overt neoplasia is often the end result of a long biological process beginning with the appearance of focal lesions of altered tissue morphology. While the putative clonal nature of focal lesions has often been emphasized, increasing attention is being devoted to the possible role of an altered growth pattern in the evolution of carcinogenesis. Here we compare the growth patterns of normal and nodular hepatocytes in a transplantation system that allows their selective clonal proliferation in vivo. Rats were pre-treated with retrorsine, which blocks the growth of resident hepatocytes, and were then transplanted with hepatocytes isolated from either normal liver or hepatocyte nodules. Both cell types were able to proliferate extensively in the recipient liver, as expected. However, their growth pattern was remarkably different. Clusters of normal hepatocytes integrated in the host liver, displaying a normal histology; however, transplanted nodular hepatocytes formed new hepatocyte nodules, with altered morphology and sharp demarcation from surrounding host liver. Both the expression and distribution of proteins involved in cell polarity, cell communication, and cell adhesion, including connexin 32, E-cadherin, and matrix metalloproteinase-2, were altered in clusters of nodular hepatocytes. Furthermore, we were able to show that down-regulation of connexin 32 and E-cadherin in nodular hepatocyte clusters was independent of growth rate. These results support the concept that a dominant pathway towards neoplastic disease in several organs involves defect(s) in tissue pattern formation

Determination of the number of J/ψ events with J/ψ → inclusive decays

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First observation of the decays χcJ→π0π0π0π0

We present a study of the P-wave spin-triplet charmonium χ cJ decays (J=0, 1, 2) into π0π0π0π0. The analysis is based on 106×106 ψ⊃′ decays recorded with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII electron positron collider. The decay into the π0π0π0π0 hadronic final state is observed for the first time. We measure the branching fractions B(χ c0→π0π0π0π0)=(3.34±0. 06±0.44)×10⊃-3, B(χ c1→π0π0π0π0) =(0.57±0.03±0.08)×10⊃-3, and B(χ c2→π0π0π0π0)=(1.21±0.05±0.16) ×10⊃-3, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematical, respectively. © 2011 American Physical Society.published_or_final_versio