The Error Performance and Fairness of CUWB Correlated Channels

AbstractThe symbol period becomes smaller compared to the channel delay in multiband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MB-OFDM) cognitive ultra wideband (CUWB) wireless communications, the transmitted signals experiences frequency-selective fading and leads to performance degradation. In this paper, a new design method for space-time trellis codes in MB-OFDM systems with correlated Rayleigh fading channels is introduced. This method converts the single output code symbol into several STTC code symbols, which are to be transmitted simultaneously from multiple transmitter-antennas. By using Viterbi optimal soft decision decoding algorithm, we investigate both quasi-static and interleaved channels and demonstrate how the spatial fading correlation affects the performance of space–time codes over these two different MB-OFDM wireless channel models. Simulation results show that the performance of space–time code is to be robust to spatial correlation. When the system bandwidth increases, the long term fairness quality will gradually become better and finally converges to 1

Expression, Purification, and Characterization of Ras Protein (BmRas1) from Bombyx mori

The Ras subfamily is the member of small G proteins superfamily involved in cellular signal transduction. Activation of Ras signaling causes cell growth, differentiation, and survival. Bombyx mori Ras-like protein (BmRas1) may belong to the Ras subfamily. It contained an H-N-K-Ras-like domain. The BmRas1 mRNA consisted of 1459 bp. The open reading frame contained 579 bp, encoding 192 amino acids. The protein had such secondary structures as α-helices, extended strand, and random coil. BmRas1 was expressed successfully in E. coli BL21. The recombinant protein was purified with metal-chelating affinity chromatography. The GTPase activity of purified protein was determined by FeSO4-(NH4)2MoO4 assay. The results showed that purified recombinant protein had intrinsic activity of GTPase. High titer polyclonal antibodies were generated by New Zealand rabbit immunized with purified protein. The gene expression features of BmRas1 at different stages and in different organs of the fifth instar larvae were analyzed by Western blot. The results showed that BmRas1 was expressed highly in three development stages including egg, pupae, and adult, but low expression in larva. BmRas1 was expressed in these tissues including head, malpighian tubule, genital gland, and silk gland. The purified recombinant protein would be utilized to further function studies of BmRas1

Subcellular localization and expression analysis of the BmDSCLP protein from silkworm, Bombyx mori

Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins play important roles in the transduction of cellular signals and activation of defense responses. By scanning the cDNA library of silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae constructed in our laboratory, we identified a 1557 bp gene that encodes a protein homologous to the death-associated small cytoplasmic leucine-rich protein, which was named as BmDSCLP. The full-length gene (GenBank accession no. FJ602779) contained a 642 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 213 amino acid residues. The ORF of this gene was inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a(+) to construct a recombinant expression plasmid and the fusion protein was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells. The fusion protein was purified by Ni-affinity chromatography and fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) and its size was then, determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and found to be 27.74 kD. Polyclonal antibodies were raised by subcutaneous injection of the recombinant protein into New Zealand white rabbits and the titer reached 1:12800. Analysis of the subcellular localization of the BmDSCLP protein revealed that, the protein was localized in both the cytoplasm and nucleus, but the amount in the former was slightly higher than that in the latter. In addition, real-time fluorescence quantification polymerase chain reaction studies were conducted to investigate BmDSCLP transcription at different developmental stages and in different tissues of the fifth instar larva. The results indicated that, BmDSCLP is widely transcribed in different stages and tissues of the silkworm. Analysis of stage-specific transcription patterns indicated that, the transcriptional level of BmDSCLP was highest in adults and lowest in eggs. Analysis of tissue-specific transcription patterns revealed that, the transcriptional level of BmDSCLP was highest in genital organs and lowest in silk glands. These results suggest that BmDSCLP plays important roles in the reproductive development of B. mori.Keywords: Bombyx mori, death-associated small cytoplasmic leucine-rich protein, prokaryotic expression, fluorescence quantification polymerase chain reactio

Characterization of the Gene BmEm4, a Homologue of Drosophila E(spl)m4, from the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

The Drosophila E(spl)m4 gene contains some highly conserved motifs (such as the Brd box, GY box, K box, and CAAC motif) in its 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR). It was shown to be a microRNA target gene in Drosophila and to play an important role in the regulation of neurogenesis. We identified a homologue of the E(spl)m4 gene from Bombyx mori called BmEm4 and examined the expression patterns of BmEm4 mRNA and protein. There was a lack of correlation in the expression of the mRNA and protein between the different developmental stages, which raises the possibility of posttranscriptional regulation of the BmEm4 mRNA. Consistent with this idea is the finding that the 3′ UTR contains two putative binding sites for microRNAs. Moreover, given that the expression is the highest in the larval head, as confirmed by immunohistochemistry, we propose that BmEm4 may also be involved in the regulation of neurogenesis. Immunostaining indicated that BmEm4 is located primarily in the cytoplasm

In Vivo Bioassay of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Synthesized in B. mori Pupae

The human growth hormone (hGH) has been expressed in prokaryotic expression system with low bioactivity previously. Then the effective B. mori baculovirus system was employed to express hGH identical to mature hGH successfully in larvae, but the expression level was still limited. In this work, the hGH was expressed in B. mori pupae by baculovirus system. Quantification of recombinant hGH protein (BmrhGH) showed that the expression of BmrhGH reached the level of approximately 890 μg/mL pupae supernatant solution, which was five times more than the level using larvae. Furthermore, Animals were gavaged with BmrhGH at the dose of 4.5 mg/rat.day, and the body weight gain (BWG) of treated group had a significant difference (P < .01) compared with the control group. The other two parameters of liver weight and epiphyseal width were also found to be different between the two groups (P < .05). The results suggested that BmrhGH might be used as a protein drug by oral administration

The Output Cost of Gender Discrimination: A Model-based Macroeconomics Estimate

We use a growth model in which saving, fertility and labour market participation are endogenous, to quantify the cost that barriers to female labour force participation impose in terms of an economy’s output. The model is calibrated to mimic the U.S. economy’s behavior in the long-run. We find that a 50 percent increase in the gender wage gap leads to a 35 percent decrease in income per capita in steady-state. Using independent estimates of the female to male earnings ratio for a wide cross-section of countries, we construct an economy with parameters similar to those calibrated for the U.S. economy, except for the degree of gender barriers. Higher discrimination decreases steady-state output per capita for two distinct reasons: a direct effect due to the decrease in female labour market participation, and an indirect effect working through an increase in fertility. For several countries, a large fraction of the difference between the country’s output and U.S. output can be ascribed to differences in gender discrimination. In addition, we find that close to half of the overall decrease in output per capita is due to the effect of gender discrimination in fertility.This paper has benefited from the financial support from Egide and Nova Forum at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, from the Funda¸cao para Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) and POCTI through FEDER, and from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientıfico e Tecnologico (CNPq-Brazil)

Vertical distribution of suspended particulate matter and its response to river discharge and seawater intrusion: a case study in the Pearl River Estuary during the 2020 dry season

The vertical distribution of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) during winter has not been widely reported. The aim of this paper is to describe the high-resolution vertical distribution of SPM along the transect based on the in-situ observations (including SPM, attenuation coefficient, and particle backscattering coefficient) from three transects of the winter cruise in the northern South China Sea in 2020. The empirical relationship between SPM and bio-optical parameters with correlation coefficients greater than 0.7 is also established and combined with model data to further discuss the mechanism of river discharge and seawater intrusion effects on the vertical distribution of SPM. In the horizontal distribution, the mass concentration of SPM was high in the nearshore region and was low in the offshore region. In the vertical direction, the mass concentration of SPM in the offshore region was more homogeneous, while the mass concentration of SPM in the nearshore region varied greatly, showing a pattern of high bottom and middle layer or high bottom and surface layer. The difference in the vertical distribution of SPM in the nearshore area is the combined effect of river discharge and seawater intrusion on the resuspension of sediment and the inhibition of the spread of high SPM

A Natural Occurring Mouse Model with Adgrv1 Mutation of Usher Syndrome 2C and Characterization of its Recombinant Inbred Strains

Background/Aims: Our laboratory discovered a Kunming mouse with enormous electroretinogram (ERG) defects. Its auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold was significantly elevated and closely resembled the features of Usher syndrome (USH). This study sought to cross these USH-like mice (named KMush/ush mice) with CBA/CaJ mice to establish recombinant inbred strains and identify their phenotypes and genotypes. Methods: KMush/ush mice were crossed with CBA/CaJ mice to establish inbred strains by sibling mating. ERG, ABR, ocular fundus morphology, histological examinations of the retina and inner ear, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and exon sequencing were performed to assess the phenotypes and genotypes of the offspring strains. Results: The F1 hybrids from crossing KMush/ush and CBA/CaJ mice had normal ERG and ABR responses. The F2 offspring from intercrossing the F1 mice showed a segregation of the retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and hearing loss phenotypes. The CBA-1ush/ush mice had an RP phenotype that was characterized by a vanished ERG waveform and loss of the outer nuclear layer. Their Pde6b gene had a nonsense mutation that resulted in the failure of protein production in western blotting. However, the ABR threshold of this strain of mice was normal. The CBA-2ush/ush mice had normal retinal function and architecture. Their ABR threshold was increased, with a dramatic degeneration of the stereocilia bundles in the outer hair cells of the inner ear. Whole exome sequencing and exon sequencing revealed a deletion of one base pair in exon 31 of the Adgrv1 gene, which would result in the premature termination of protein encoding. The level of Adgrv1 mRNA was reduced in the CBA-2ush/ush mice. The CBA-3ush/ush mice had phenotypes of RP, elevated ABR threshold, and degeneration of the stereocilia bundles in the outer hair cells. They were closely associated with the nonsense mutations of Pde6b and Adgrv1, respectively. Conclusion: We isolated a mouse strain with hearing loss from inbred mice with retinal degeneration and established it as a recombinant inbred strain with a spontaneous mutation in Adgrv1, the human Usher syndrome 2C gene. The retinal degeneration was cause by a mutation in Pde6b, while the hearing loss was caused by a mutation in Adgrv1