Turbo／MAP编译码器中的交织器优化设计

讨论采用软输出迭代译交织级联卷积码（Ｔｕｒｂｏ码）编译码器中的交织器优化设计问题．从基于最大后验概率（ＭＡＰ）算法与迭代译码的Ｔｕｒｂｏ码编译码原理出发,给出交织器设计的一些基本方法并分析其特点;提出“保奇偶”的随机交织器设计方案,它能有效地改善某些以提高编码效率为目的的“删余截短”Ｔｕｒｂｏ码的纠错性能．通过计算机仿真得出一些Ｔｕｒｂｏ码在加性高斯白噪声信道中采用不同交织器时的误码率数据,分析了交织类型和交织深度的变化对Ｔｕｒｂｏ码纠错性能的影响．针对Ｔｕｒｂｏ码的特点提出了在卫星通信等应用中交织器设计的实用性结论．     

Structure and function of Zika virus NS5 protein: perspectives for drug design

Zika virus (ZIKV) belongs to the positive-sense single-stranded RNA-containing Flaviviridae family. Its recent outbreak and association with human diseases (e.g. neurological disorders) have raised global health concerns, and an urgency to develop a therapeutic strategy against ZIKV infection. However, there is no currently approved antiviral against ZIKV. Here we present a comprehensive overview on recent progress in structure–function investigation of ZIKV NS5 protein, the largest non-structural protein of ZIKV, which is responsible for replication of the viral genome, RNA capping and suppression of host interferon responses. Structural comparison of the N-terminal methyltransferase domain and C-terminal RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domain of ZIKV NS5 with their counterparts from related viruses provides mechanistic insights into ZIKV NS5-mediated RNA replication, and identifies residues critical for its enzymatic activities. Finally, a collection of recently identified small molecule inhibitors against ZIKV NS5 or its closely related flavivirus homologues are also discussed.     

Bias‐corrected bootstrap prediction intervals for autoregressive model: new alternatives with applications to tourism forecasting

This paper proposes the use of the bias‐corrected bootstrap for interval forecasting of an autoregressive time series with an arbitrary number of deterministic components. We use the bias‐corrected bootstrap based on two alternative bias‐correction methods: the bootstrap and an analytic formula based on asymptotic expansion. We also propose a new stationarity‐correction method, based on stable spectral factorization, as an alternative to Kilian's method exclusively used in past studies. A Monte Carlo experiment is conducted to compare small‐sample properties of prediction intervals. The results show that the bias‐corrected bootstrap prediction intervals proposed in this paper exhibit desirable small‐sample properties. It is also found that the bootstrap bias‐corrected prediction intervals based on stable spectral factorization are tighter and more stable than those based on Kilian's stationarity‐correction. The proposed methods are applied to interval forecasting for the number of tourist arrivals in Hong Kong. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Yersinia pestis genome sequencing identifies patterns of global phylogenetic diversity

Plague is a pandemic human invasive disease caused by the bacterial agent Yersinia pestis. We here report a comparison of 17 whole genomes of Y. pestis isolates from global sources. We also screened a global collection of 286 Y. pestis isolates for 933 SNPs using Sequenom MassArray SNP typing. We conducted phylogenetic analyses on this sequence variation dataset, assigned isolates to populations based on maximum parsimony and, from these results, made inferences regarding historical transmission routes. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that Y. pestis evolved in or near China and spread through multiple radiations to Europe, South America, Africa and Southeast Asia, leading to country-specific lineages that can be traced by lineage-specific SNPs. All 626 current isolates from the United States reflect one radiation, and 82 isolates from Madagascar represent a second radiation. Subsequent local microevolution of Y. pestis is marked by sequential, geographically specific SNPs.     

嫁接用苗生长状态无损测量技术的研究

利用机器视觉技术对蔬菜幼苗的生长特征信息进行了无损检测,该研究技术是定量化研究植物生长规律的关键技术之一,并为蔬菜自动化生产过程中的嫁接、移栽、间苗等作业提供必要的技术理论依据.该研究通过在温室内设计了一套计算机视觉系统,对多株群体蔬菜苗的生长进行了长时间、连续、快速的无损检测,并利用VB6.0编制了图像处理软件,提取了蔬菜幼苗的外部形态特征,经过图像处理软件分析得到蔬菜幼苗的日生长变化规律,发现蔬菜苗在夜间的生长率明显高于白天.研究表明,采用机器视觉及图像处理技术可以快速、准确地监测出蔬菜幼苗的外部形态特征量,能够对蔬菜生长状态进行直观测量,实现对蔬菜幼苗生长规的定量化研究,为蔬菜生产过程中相关作业的自动化提供可靠的理论依据.     

华西雨屏区不同人工植被类型下土壤氮库及其有效性

为了解华西雨屏区人工植被类型对土壤氮库及其有效性的影响,选取华西雨屏区7种典型人工植被类型：橘树（Glycosmis cochinchinensi5）迹地、橘树林地、巨桉（Eucalyptus grandis）林地、玉米（Zeamays）地、香樟（Cinnamonum camphora）林地、柚子（Citrus mnxima）林地和桃树（Pmnnus persica）林地,于2010年7月分别采集土壤根层与根下层原状土样,分析其氮库及有效性。结果表明,华西雨屏区几种典型人工植被类型均表现出较大的氮库特征,但不同人工植被类型间具有较大的差异。相对于其他植被类型,玉米地根层和根下层土壤氮库均相对较小,而橘树、柚子和桃树林地根层土壤氮库相对较大,巨桉、香樟和桃树林地根下层土壤氮库相对较大。然而,玉米地具有较高的根层土壤铵态氮和硝态氮含量,但巨桉林地具有较低的根下层土壤铵态氮和硝态氮含量。这些结果为区域氮素合理利用、土地利用结构调整以及生态环境建设提供了一定理论依据。     

Multispecies-compatible antitumor effects of a cross-species small-interfering RNA against mammalian target of rapamycin

Successful development of sequence-specific siRNA (small interfering RNA)-based drugs requires an siRNA design that functions consistently in different organisms. Utilizing the CAPSID program previously developed by our group, we here designed siRNAs against mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) that are entirely complementary among various species and investigated their multispecies-compatible gene-silencing properties. The mTOR siRNAs markedly reduced mTOR expression at both the mRNA and protein levels in human, mouse, and monkey cell lines. The reduction in mTOR expression resulted in inactivation of both mTOR complex I and II signaling pathways, as confirmed by reduced phosphorylation of p70S6K (70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase), 4EBP1 (eIF4E-binding protein 1), and AKT, and nuclear accumulation of FOXO1 (forkhead box O1), with consequent cell-cycle arrest, proliferation inhibition, and autophagy activation. Moreover, interfering with mTOR activity in vivo using mTOR small-hairpin RNA-expressing recombinant adeno-associated virus led to significant antitumor effects in xenograft and allograft models. Thus, the present study demonstrates that cross-species siRNA successfully silences its target and readily produces multispecies-compatible phenotypic alterations-antitumor effects in the case of mTOR siRNA. Application of cross-species siRNA should greatly facilitate the development of siRNA-based therapeutic agents.     

Maize HapMap2 identifies extant variation from a genome in flux

Whereas breeders have exploited diversity in maize for yield improvements, there has been limited progress in using beneficial alleles in undomesticated varieties. Characterizing standing variation in this complex genome has been challenging, with only a small fraction of it described to date. Using a population genetics scoring model, we identified 55 million SNPs in 103 lines across pre-domestication and domesticated Zea mays varieties, including a representative from the sister genus Tripsacum. We find that structural variations are pervasive in the Z. mays genome and are enriched at loci associated with important traits. By investigating the drivers of genome size variation, we find that the larger Tripsacum genome can be explained by transposable element abundance rather than an allopolyploid origin. In contrast, intraspecies genome size variation seems to be controlled by chromosomal knob content. There is tremendous overlap in key gene content in maize and Tripsacum, suggesting that adaptations from Tripsacum (for example, perennialism and frost and drought tolerance) can likely be integrated into maize.     

A genome-wide association study in Han Chinese identifies new susceptibility loci for ankylosing spondylitis

To identify susceptibility loci for ankylosing spondylitis, we performed a two-stage genome-wide association study in Han Chinese. In the discovery stage, we analyzed 1,356,350 autosomal SNPs in 1,837 individuals with ankylosing spondylitis and 4,231 controls; in the validation stage, we analyzed 30 suggestive SNPs in an additional 2,100 affected individuals and 3,496 controls. We identified two new susceptibility loci between EDIL3 and HAPLN1 at 5q14.3 (rs4552569; P = 8.77 × 10(-10)) and within ANO6 at 12q12 (rs17095830; P = 1.63 × 10(-8)). We also confirmed previously reported associations in Europeans within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region (top SNP, rs13202464; P < 5 × 10(-324)) and at 2p15 (rs10865331; P = 1.98 × 10(-8)). We show that rs13202464 within the MHC region mainly represents the risk effect of HLA-B*27 variants (including HLA-B*2704, HLA-B*2705 and HLA-B*2715) in Chinese. The two newly discovered loci implicate genes related to bone formation and cartilage development, suggesting their potential involvement in the etiology of ankylosing spondylitis.     

Frequent mutations of chromatin remodeling genes in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder

Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is the most common type of bladder cancer. Here we sequenced the exomes of nine individuals with TCC and screened all the somatically mutated genes in a prevalence set of 88 additional individuals with TCC with different tumor stages and grades. In our study, we discovered a variety of genes previously unknown to be mutated in TCC. Notably, we identified genetic aberrations of the chromatin remodeling genes (UTX, MLL-MLL3, CREBBP-EP300, NCOR1, ARID1A and CHD6) in 59% of our 97 subjects with TCC. Of these genes, we showed UTX to be altered substantially more frequently in tumors of low stages and grades, highlighting its potential role in the classification and diagnosis of bladder cancer. Our results provide an overview of the genetic basis of TCC and suggest that aberration of chromatin regulation might be a hallmark of bladder cancer.