Slepian concentration problem for polynomials on the unit Ball

We study the Slepian spatiospectral concentration problem for the space of multi-variate polynomials on the unit ball in $\mathbb{R}^d$. We will discuss the phenomenon of an asymptotically bimodal distribution of eigenvalues of the spatiospectral concentration operators of polynomial spaces equipped with two different notions of bandwidth: (a) the space of polynomials with a fixed maximal overall polynomial degree, (b) the space of polynomials separated into radial and spherical contributions, with fixed but separate maximal degrees for the radial and spherical contributions, respectively. In particular, we investigate the transition position of the bimodal eigenvalue distribution (the so-called Shannon number) for both setups. The analytic results are illustrated by numerical examples on the 3-D ball

Applications of serum amino acid levels in identification of cancer

Chemometric method of uncorrelated linear discriminant analysis (ULDA) was applied to the data of amino acid levels in serum of lung cancer patients and healthy people, eventually successfully classifies the samples of cancer patients and healthy people. Simultaneously, several potential amino acid biomarkers were possibly chosen. So the method of amino acid levels combined with ULDA algorithm could be applied to the identification of cancer and exploration of tumor biomarker, which has certain practical value and application prospects

Complete all-optical silica fiber isolator via stimulated Brillouin scattering

Abstract-This study demonstrates the theoretical operation of an all-optical silica fiber isolator using stimulated Brillouin scattering. Two pump sources that copropagate through a double-mode fiber generate acoustic waves through electrostriction. These acoustic waves then induce unidirectional interband optical transitions between a separate pair of signal sources. With 1 W of total input pump power, complete optical isolation is achieved with a silica rod waveguide of radius 0.67 m over a length of approximately 12 m, with pumps operating at a wavelength of 1.55 m and signals at 1.50 m

Modelling excitation energy transfer and trapping in the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis PCC 7120

The phycobilisome (PBS) serves as the major light-harvesting system, funnelling excitation energy to both photosystems (PS) in cyanobacteria and red algae. The picosecond kinetics involving the excitation energy transfer has been studied within the isolated systems and intact filaments of the cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis PCC 7120. A target model is proposed which resolves the dynamics of the different chromophore groups. The energy transfer rate of 8.5 ± 1.0/ns from the rod to the core is the rate-limiting step, both in vivo and in vitro. The PBS-PSI-PSII supercomplex reveals efficient excitation energy migration from the low-energy allophycocyanin, which is the terminal emitter, in the PBS core to the chlorophyll a in the photosystems. The terminal emitter of the phycobilisome transfers energy to both PSI and PSII with a rate of 50 ± 10/ns, equally distributing the solar energy to both photosystems. Finally, the excitation energy is trapped by charge separation in the photosystems with trapping rates estimated to be 56 ± 6/ns in PSI and 14 ± 2/ns in PSII

Morphology and SSU rRNA Gene Sequences of Three Marine Ciliates from Yellow Sea, China, Including One New Species, Uronema heteromarinum nov. spec. (Ciliophora, Scuticociliatida)

The morphology, infraciliature, and silverline system of three marine scuticociliates, Uronema marinum Dujardin, 1841, U. heteromarinum nov. spec. and Pleuronema setigerum Calkins, 1902, isolated from coastal waters off Qingdao, China, were investigated using living observation and silver impregnation methods. Due to the great confusion in the species definition of the well-known species U. marinum, we have documented a detailed discussion/comparison and believe that most of the confusion is due to the fact that at least 2 closely-related sibling morphotypes exist which are often not recognized. Based on the data available, U. marinum is strictly defined as follows: marine Uronema ca. 30 × 10 μm in size, with truncated apical frontal plate and smooth pellicle, extrusomes inconspicuous, cytostome located equatorially, 12–14 somatic kineties and one contractile vacuole pore near posterior end of kinety 2. Uronema heteromarinum nov. spec. resembles U. marinum but can be distinguished morphologically by its notched pellicle with conspicuous extrusomes and reticulate ridges, the 15–16 somatic kineties, widely separated membranelle 1 and membranelle 2, as well as the subequatorially positioned cytostome. Based on the Qingdao population, an improved diagnosis for the poorly known Pleuronema setigerum is: marine slender oval-shaped form, in vivo about 40–50 × 15–20 μm; 3–5 preoral kineties and 14–22 somatic kineties; membranelle 1 and 3 three-rowed, and posterior end of M2a ring-like. The small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene for all three organisms were sequenced and analyzed with standard methods

Morphology and Phylogeny of Four Marine Scuticociliates (Protista, Ciliophora), with Descriptions of Two New Species: Pleuronema elegans spec. nov. and Uronema orientalis spec. nov.

The morphology and infraciliature of four marine scuticociliates, Pleuronema elegans spec. nov., P. setigerum Calkins, 1902, P. grolierei Wang et al., 2008 and Uronema orientalis spec. nov., collected from China seas, were investigated through live observation and protargol staining methods. Pleuronema elegans spec. nov. can be recognized by the combination of the following characters: size in vivo 90–115 × 45–60 µm, slender oval in outline with a distinctly pointed posterior end; about 10 prolonged caudal cilia; consistently two preoral kineties and 18 or 19 somatic kineties; membranelle 2a double-rowed with its posterior end straight; membranelle 3 three-rowed; one macronucleus; marine habitat. Uronema orientalis spec. nov. is distinguished by the following features: in vivo about 40–55 × 20–30 μm with a truncated apical plate; consistently twenty somatic kineties; membranelle 1 single-rowed and divided into two parts which comprise four and three basal bodies respectively; contractile vacuole pore positioned at the end of the second somatic kinety; marine habitat. We also provide improved diagnoses for P. grolierei Wang et al., 2008 and P. setigerum Calkins, 1902 based on current and previous reports. The small subunit rRNA gene of U. orientalis, P. elegans, P. grolierei and P. puytoraci were sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Uronema and Pleuronema are not monophyletic

Requirement of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway for the effect of nicotine on interleukin-1beta-induced chondrocyte apoptosis in a rat model of osteoarthritis

National Natural Science Foundation of China [81072015]; Natural Science Foundation of Fujian, China [2010D007]; Medical Innovation Foundation of Fujian, China [2011-CXB-36]; Xiamen Science and Technology Key program grant, Fujian, ChinaChondrocyte apoptosis is mainly responsible for the progressive degeneration of cartilage in osteoarthritis (OA). Interleukin-1beta (IL-1 beta) was widely used as a modulating and chondrocyte apoptosis-inducing agent. Nicotine is able to confer resistance to apoptosis and promote cell survival in some cell lines, but its regulatory mechanism is ambiguous. We aimed to investigate the effect of nicotine on IL-1 beta-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and the mechanism underlying how nicotine antagonizes IL-1 beta-induced apoptosis of rat chondrocytes. Chondrocytes isolated from newborn rat joints were exposed to IL-1 beta. The cell viability was analyzed by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay, and the apoptotic cells were counted with DAPI staining. The levels of Akt, phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt) and downstream protein targets of Akt were detected by western blotting. The results showed that nicotine neutralized the effect of IL-1 beta on chondrocytes by activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, including the PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 pathway, to block IL-1 beta-induced cell apoptosis and the PI3K/Akt/p70S6K (p70S6 kinase)/S6 pathway for promoting protein synthesis, modulating its downstream effectors such as TIMP-1 and MMP-13. Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway is, in part, required for the effect of nicotine on IL-1 beta-induced chondrocyte apoptosis in a rat model of osteoarthritis. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved