The Architecture and Performance Evaluation of iSCSI-Based United Storage Network Merging NAS and SAN

With the ever increasing volume of data in networks, the traditional storage architecture is greatly challenged; more and more people pay attention to network storage. Currently, the main technology of network storage is represented by NAS (Network Attached Storage) and SAN (Storage Area Network). They are different, but mutually complementary and used under different circumstances; however, both NAS and SAN may be needed in the same company. To reduce the TOC (total of cost), for easier implementation, etc., people hope to merge the two technologies. Additionally, the main internetworking technology of SAN is the Fibre Channel; however, the major obstacles are in its poor interoperability, lack of trained staff, high implementation costs, etc. To solve the above-mentioned issues, this paper creatively introduces a novel storage architecture called USN (United Storage Networks), which uses the iSCSI to build the storage network, and merges the NAS and SAN techniques supplying the virtues and overcoming the drawbacks of both, and provides both file I/O and block I/O service simultaneously

Polymorphisms of Homologous Recombination Genes and Clinical Outcomes of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Definitive Radiotherapy

The repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is the major mechanism to maintain genomic stability in response to irradiation. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms in DSB repair genes may affect clinical outcomes among non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with definitive radio(chemo)therapy. We genotyped six potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (i.e., RAD51 −135G>C/rs1801320 and −172G>T/rs1801321, XRCC2 4234G>C/rs3218384 and R188H/rs3218536 G>A, XRCC3 T241M/rs861539 and NBN E185Q/rs1805794) and estimated their associations with overall survival (OS) and radiation pneumonitis (RP) in 228 NSCLC patients. We found a predictive role of RAD51 −135G>C SNP in RP development (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31–0.86, P = 0.010 for CG/CC vs. GG). We also found that RAD51 −135G>C and XRCC2 R188H SNPs were independent prognostic factors for overall survival (adjusted HR = 1.70, 95% CI, 1.14–2.62, P = 0.009 for CG/CC vs. GG; and adjusted HR = 1.70; 95% CI, 1.02–2.85, P = 0.043 for AG vs. GG, respectively) and that the SNP-survival association was most pronounced in the presence of RP. Our study suggests that HR genetic polymorphisms, particularly RAD51 −135G>C, may influence overall survival and radiation pneumonitis in NSCLC patients treated with definitive radio(chemo)therapy. Large studies are needed to confirm our findings

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ROTOR-BEARING SYSTEM AND EVOLUTION OF BEARING WEAR (MT)

Taking the rotor system supported by angular contact ball bearing as the research object, the dynamic model of rotor bearing system is established by using Lagrange equation. Based on the Archard wear model, the calculation model of wear depth of bearing raceways considering lubrication effects is presented. The wear depth is introduced into the system dynamics model as the bearing clearance. The dynamic characteristics of rotor-bearing system and the evolution of bearing wear are carefully analyzed taking into account the rotor speed, bearing preload and disc position. The results show that the influence of bearing wear on dynamic characteristics of rotor-bearing system is closely related to rotor speed and bearing preload. Changing disc position does not lead to the significant variation of dynamic characteristics of rotor-bearing system with wear depth of bearing raceways. The rotor speed significantly affects the bearing wear, the bearing preload has very limited effect on bearing wear, and the variation of the disc position results in the weak difference of wear depth of bearings

Molecular characterization and expression of the related-male gene sox30 in the common carp Cyprinus carpio

The Sox (SRY-related HMG-box) family of transcription factors is involved in the regulation of embryonic development and determination of cell fate. Sox proteins serve as transcriptional regulators that are complexed with other proteins. For this study, we initially cloned and characterized the full-length cDNAs, DNA sequences, and 5′-flanking regions of the common carp Cyprinus carpio Sox30. The sequence analysis suggested that Ccsox30 carried a distinct HMG-box of the Sox family within Cyprinus carpio. Phylogenetic and gene structure analysis revealed that sox30 was homologous to mammalian Sox30, whereas chromosome synteny analysis demonstrated that the position of Cyprinus carpio Sox30 in the genome was different from that of other vertebrates. This might have been due to the split of the Sox30 flanking gene by several genes not yet found near the Ccsox30 in evolution, or because the genome sequencing data was not annotated. The results of Real Tim Quantitative-PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed that Sox30 expression was high in the testes, and the expression was traced in other tissues by researching the tissue distribution of C. carpio and ontogeny of Ccsox30 expression in the gonads. This expression pattern suggested that Ccsox30 may be involved in spermatogonial differentiation and spermatogenesis

Purification and characterization of catalase frommarine bacteriumAcinetobacter sp.

The catalase from marine bacterium Acinetobacter sp. YS0810 (YS0810CAT) was purified and characterized. Consecutive steps were used to achieve the purified enzyme as follows: ethanol precipitation, DEAE Sepharose ion exchange, Superdex 200 gel filtration, and Resource Q ion exchange. The active enzyme consisted of four identical subunits of 57.256 kDa. It showed a Soret peak at 405 nm, indicating the presence of iron protoporphyrin IX. The catalase was not apparently reduced by sodium dithionite but was inhibited by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, hydroxylamine hydrochloride, and sodium azide. Peroxidase-like activity was not found with the substrate o-phenylenediamine. So the catalase was determined to be a monofunctional catalase. N-terminal amino acid of the catalase analysis gave the sequence SQDPKKCPVTHLTTE, which showed high degree of homology with those of known catalases from bacteria. The analysis of amino acid sequence of the purified catalase by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-offlight mass spectrometry showed that it was a new catalase, in spite of its high homology with those of known catalases from other bacteria. The catalase showed high alkali stability and thermostability

Study on Foaming Quality and Impact Property of Foamed Polypropylene Composites

In the present work, foamed polypropylene (PP) composites were prepared by chemical foaming technology, and the foaming quality and impact property of the foamed PP composites were studied. The results showed that the foaming quality was significantly improved after the introduction of thermoplastic rubber (TPR) and polyolefin elastomer (POE). Meanwhile, it was found that the impact property depended on the intrinsic toughness and contribution of foams (cells) to the PP composites. Furthermore, the data regarding impact property in low temperature showed that when the temperature was between −80 and −20 °C, the impact properties of the foamed PP composites were higher than that of the unfoamed sample, which was due to the impact property being completely contributed by cells under this condition. Meanwhile, when the temperature ranged from −20 to 20 °C, the impact property of the unfoamed sample was higher, which was due to the PP matrix contributing more to the impact property under this temperature. This work significantly improved the foaming quality of foamed PP composites and provided reliable evidence for the improvement of impact property