Transmission of sub-terahertz signals over a fiber-FSO-5†G NR hybrid system with an aggregate net bit rate of 227.912 Gb/s.

Transmission of sub-terahertz (sub-THz) signals over a fiber-free-space optical (FSO)-fifth-generation (5 G) new radio (NR) hybrid system is successfully realized. It is a promising system that utilizes multiple media of optical fiber, optical wireless, and 5 G NR wireless to achieve a 227.912-Gb/s record-high aggregate net bit rate. The system concurrently transmits a 59.813-Gb/s net bit rate in the 150-GHz sub-THz frequency, 74.766-Gb/s in the 250-GHz sub-THz frequency, and 93.333-Gb/s in the 325-GHz sub-THz frequency through the fiber-FSO-wireless convergence, including 25-km single-mode fiber, 100-m FSO, and 30-m/25-m/20-m sub-THz-wave transmissions. This system achieves sufficiently low bit error rates (< hard-decision forward error correction (FEC) threshold of 3.8 × 10-3 at 16 and 20 Gbaud symbol rates; < soft-decision FEC threshold of 2 × 10-2 at 28 Gbaud symbol rate) and clear and distinct constellation diagrams, meeting the demands of 5 G NR communications in the sub-THz band. The development of fiber-FSO-5 G NR hybrid system represents a substantial development in the field of advanced communications. It has the ability to enhance the way we communicate in the future.

Two-way 5G NR FSO-HCF-UWOC converged systems with R/G/B 3-wavelength and SLM-based beam-tracking scheme.

A two-way fifth-generation (5G) new radio (NR) free-space optical (FSO)-hollow-core fibre (HCF)-underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) converged systems with a red/green/blue (R/G/B) 3-wavelengths and spatial light modulator (SLM)-based beam-tracking scheme is practically built. It is the first to practically build a two-way FSO-HCF-UWOC converged system with high-speed and long-distance optical wireless-wired-underwater wireless communication characteristics. It shows a 5G NR FSO-HCF-UWOC convergence from drone or buildings to undersea, using R/G/B 3-wavelengths and an SLM as a demonstration. The R/G/B 3-wavelengths are used to enhance the downstream and upstream aggregate transmission rates. An SLM with electrical comparator is used to adjust the laser beam and mitigate laser beam misalignment caused by drone movement or ocean flow. Over a hybrid of 1-km FSO, 10-m HCF, and 10.44-m ocean water-air-ocean water medium, downstream/upstream 5G-millimeter-wave (MMW) 9.1-Gb/s/24-GHz signals are transmitted with satisfactorily low bit error rates and error vector magnitudes, as well as distinct constellations. This demonstrated that the 5G NR FSO-HCF-UWOC converged system exhibits promising potential as it advances the scenario implemented by the 5G-MMW signals over FSO, HCF, and UWOC convergence, paving the way for high-speed and long-distance communications across diverse media.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of MCM3 and its interacting proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aberrant DNA replication is one of the driving forces behind oncogenesis. Furthermore, minichromosome maintenance complex component 3 (MCM3) serves an essential role in DNA replication. Therefore, in the present study, the diagnostic and prognostic value of MCM3 and its interacting proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were investigated. By utilizing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, global MCM3 mRNA levels were assessed in HCC and normal liver tissues. Its effects were further analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), western blotting and immunohistochemistry in 78 paired HCC and adjacent tissues. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes database. The expression levels of proteins that interact with MCM3 were also analyzed using the TCGA database and RT-qPCR. Finally, algorithms combining receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed using binary logistic regression using the TCGA results. Increased MCM3 mRNA expression with high α-fetoprotein levels and advanced Edmondson-Steiner grade were found to be characteristic of HCC. Survival analysis revealed that high MCM3 expression was associated with poor outcomes in patients with HCC. In addition, MCM3 protein expression was associated with increased tumor invasion in HCC tissues. MCM3 and its interacting proteins were found to be primarily involved in DNA replication, cell cycle and a number of binding processes. Algorithms combining ROCs of MCM3 and its interacting proteins were found to have improved HCC diagnosis ability compared with MCM3 and other individual diagnostic markers. In conclusion, MCM3 appears to be a promising diagnostic biomarker for HCC. Additionally, the present study provides a basis for the multi-gene diagnosis of HCC using MCM3.

Success rates of in vitro fertilization versus intracytoplasmic sperm injection in men with serum anti-sperm antibodies: a consecutive cohort study.

Antisperm antibodies (ASAs) are assumed to be a possible causative factor for male infertility, with ASAs detected in 5%-15% of infertile men but in only 1%-2% of fertile ones. It remains unclear whether ASAs have an adverse effect on the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This study investigated differences in the rates of fertilization, pregnancy, and live births associated with serum ASA-positive and ASA-negative men following IVF or ICSI. Five hundred and fifty-four consecutive infertile couples undergoing IVF (n = 399) or ICSI (n = 155) were included. The two-sample two-sided t-test and Chi-square or Fisher's exact test was used for statistical analysis. Lower rates of fertilization (41.7% vs 54.8%, P = 0.03), good embryos (18.9% vs 35.2%, P = 0.00), pregnancy (38.5% vs 59.4%, P = 0.00), and live births (25.8% vs 42.5%, P = 0.00) were observed in men of the IVF group with a positive serum ASA than in those with a negative ASA. ASA positivity/negativity correlated with pregnancy rates (P = 0.021, odds ratio [OR]: 0.630, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.425-0.932) and live birth rates (P = 0.010, OR: 1.409, 95% CI: 1.084-1.831) after controlling for the female serum follicle-stimulating hormone level and the couple's ages at IVF. Women coupled with ASA-positive men had lower live birth rates with IVF than with ICSI (25.8% and 47.4%, respectively; P = 0.07). Women coupled with ASA-positive men had lower rates of pregnancy and live births following IVF than those coupled with ASA-negative men but had a similar outcome with ICSI.

Insulin-like factor-2 receptor rs9456497 G genotype overrepresents in males of average population and its correlation with cardiovascular risks.

OBJECTIVES: To look at the possible effect of IGF2R rs9456497 on cardiovascular risks in a long-lived population. METHODS: IGF-2R rs9456497 was genotyped by iMLDR for 496 long-lived Zhuang Chinese (90-107 y/o) and their offspring (n = 723, 60-75 y/o) and healthy controls (n = 611, 60-75 y/o). Association analyses were then conducted among genotypes and cardiovascular risks. RESULTS: The G genotype (GA/GG) was found to represent more frequently in males of general population. No significantly difference was detected among genotypes in each group except that G genotype tended to reduce the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels in longevity group. However, after sex stratification, total cholesterol (TC) of each genotype in offspring males was elevated versus relevant genotype in longevity and control group; the triglyceride (TG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and BMI of each genotype in longevity group were lower while SBP and DBP were higher than that of the relevant genotype in offspring and controls. After stratified by lipid status, the frequency of G allele was markedly increased in the dyslipidemic subgroup in the combined population and controls. Linear regressive analyses showed that HDL was positively correlated to rs9456497 GA genotype while BMI was negatively correlated to AA genotype in offspring group, whereas TC and TG were reversely while BMI was positively associated with AA genotype in CG. CONCLUSIONS: IGF-2R rs9456497 G genotype correlates to detrimental cardiovascular risks in ordinary population which might partially interpret their less preservation of health as compared to long-lived cohort.

A novel strategy to assemble colloidal gold nanoparticles at the water-air interface by the vapor of formic acid.

We report a novel strategy on the controlled assembly of gold nanoparticles (NPs) at the air-water interface by designing a concentration gradient of electrolytes utilizing volatile weak acidic electrolytes. Films of close-packed Au NPs can be facilely obtained by exposing citrate-protected gold colloids to the vapor of formic acid for several hours in an airtight desiccator at room temperature. Both the higher interfacial concentration of formic acid and the buffer effect of citrate solution play the key roles in the assembly. They engender a gradient distribution of hydrogen ions such that to trigger the interfacial assembly of gold NPs while preventing the bulk colloid from aggregation and coagulation. Comparative investigations have also been performed either using other volatile electrolytes like weaker acetic acid and stronger hydrochloric acid or adding an electrolyte directly into the colloids. The as-prepared films of gold NPs can serve as good substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). This strategy has also been applied to the assembly of some other NPs like colloidal Pt at the air-water interface.