Simultaneous multi-impairment monitoring of 640 Gb/s signals using photonic chip based RF spectrum analyzer.

We report the first demonstration of simultaneous multi-impairment monitoring at ultrahigh bitrates using a THz bandwidth photonic-chip-based radio-frequency (RF) spectrum analyzer. Our approach employs a 7 cm long, highly nonlinear (gamma approximately 9900 /W/km), dispersion engineered chalcogenide planar waveguide to capture the RF spectrum of an ultrafast 640 Gb/s signal, based on cross-phase modulation, from which we numerically retrieve the autocorrelation waveform. The relationship between the retrieved autocorrelation trace and signal impairments is exploited to simultaneously monitor dispersion, in-band optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) and timing jitter from a single measurement.

Transplantation in diabetic kidney failure patients: modalities, outcomes, and clinical management.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common and devastating disease, affecting up to 19.3 million Americans. It is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States.

Abnormal glucose metabolism and metabolic syndrome in non-diabetic kidney transplant recipients early after transplantation.

Background: Abnormal glucose metabolism (AGM) and metabolic syndrome (MS) are individually associated with a poor cardiovascular outcome in kidney transplant recipients. We prospectively studied the relationship between AGM and MS in non-diabetic kidney transplant recipients early after transplantation.

Methods: A total of 203 de novo kidney transplant recipients underwent standard 2-hr glucose tolerance test 10 weeks after transplantation.

Hepatitis B virus X protein upregulates transcriptional activation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase.

It is well known that telomerase activation and virus infection are strongly associated with human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) plays an important role in HCC pathogenesis. However, the mechanisms of HBx on telomerase activity are not well understood.

Metabolic syndrome and new onset diabetes after transplantation in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) and new onset diabetes after transplant (NODAT) are common in kidney transplant patients. We studied the relationship between the two conditions and their impact on metabolic and cardiovascular risk profiles.

Methods: All non-diabetic patients transplanted between 1999 and 2005 who were followed up to 2006 were included.

Bioreduction of nitrobenzene, natural organic matter, and hematite by Shewanella putrefaciens CN32.

We examined the reduction of nitrobenzene by Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) and hematite. Bioreduction experiments were conducted with combinations and varied concentrations of nitrobenzene, soil humic acid, Georgetown NOM, hematite, and CN32. Abiotic experiments were conducted to quantify nitrobenzene reduction by biogenic Fe(II) and by bioreduced NOMs.

Computational identification of microRNAs and their targets in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous, non-coding, short (approximately 21 nt) RNAs directly involved in regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Previous reports have noted that plant miRNAs in the plant kingdom are highly conserved, which provides the foundation for identification of conserved miRNAs in other plant species through homology alignment. Conserved miRNAs in wheat are identified using EST (Expressed Sequence Tags) and GSS analysis.

Characterization of picosecond pulse nonlinear propagation in chalcogenide As(2)S(3) fiber.

We characterize the nonlinear propagation of picosecond pulses in chalcogenide As(2)S(3) single-mode fiber using a pump-probe technique. The cross-phase modulation (XPM)-induced sideband broadening and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS)-induced sideband amplification are measured in order to map out the Raman gain spectrum of this glass across the C-band. We extract the Raman response function from the Raman gain spectrum and determine the power and polarization dependence of the SRS.

Clinical and economic outcomes of rabbit antithymocyte globulin induction in adults who received kidney transplants from living unrelated donors and received cyclosporine-based immunosuppression.

Study Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and costs of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (TMG) induction in patients who received kidney transplants from living unrelated donors.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Large academic medical center.

[Reduction of nitrobenzene by iron oxides bound Fe(II) system at different pH values].

Batch tests were conducted to investigate the reductive transformation of nitrobenzene by goethite, hematite, magnetite and steel converter slag bound Fe(II) system. And the reduction mechanism was explored at different pH values. Experimental results showed that hematite, magnetite and steel converter slag could adsorb Fe(II) on surfaces and form iron oxides bound Fe(II) system at pH from 6.

Post-transplantation malignancy: a cell autonomous mechanism with implications for therapy.

Malignancy is a dreaded complication following organ transplantation. Immunosuppressive therapy-induced impairment of the host immune system is the prevailing hypothesis for the high incidence and aggressive progression of post-transplant neoplasm. We summarize our observations supporting an autonomous cellular mechanism for cyclosporine and tacrolimus associated metastases.

Six-month prophylaxis is cost effective in transplant patients at high risk for cytomegalovirus infection.

The risk of late-onset cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains a concern in seronegative kidney and/or pancreas transplant recipients of seropositive organs despite the use of antiviral prophylaxis. The optimal duration of prophylaxis is unknown. We studied the cost effectiveness of 6- versus 3-mo prophylaxis with valganciclovir.

Quantitative structure-lambda(max) relationship study on flavones by heuristic method and radial basis function neural network.

QSPR models for the prediction of UV maximum absorption wavelength (lambda(max)) of 69 flavones were developed based on their structures alone. A six-descriptor linear correlation by heuristic method (HM) and a nonlinear model using radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) approach were reported. The statistical parameters provided by the HM model (R2=0.

Hepatitis B virus protein preS2 potentially promotes HCC development via its transcriptional activation of hTERT.

Backgrounds And Aims: Telomerase is significantly reactivated in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our previous studies showed that the transactivation unit of HBV surface (S) gene, preS2, could upregulate human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression and telomerase activity of HepG2 cells. Here, we aim to explore the functions, and the underlying mechanisms, of this preS2-mediated hTERT upregulation during HCC development.

Steroid-free maintenance immunosuppression in kidney transplantation: is it time to consider it as a standard therapy?

Steroid-free immunosuppression in kidney transplantation has been gaining popularity over the past decade, as documented by a continuous and steady rise in the number of kidney transplant patients discharged on steroid-free regimens. This increased interest in steroid-free immunosuppression is fueled by the recognition that half of transplant loss is related to patient death due to cardiovascular disease and/or infectious complications and that the long-term use of steroids contributes to such elevated cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The availability of newer and more potent immunosuppressive agents has furthered such interest.

Terahertz bandwidth RF spectrum analysis of femtosecond pulses using a chalcogenide chip.

We report the first demonstration of the use of an RF spectrum analyser with multi-terahertz bandwidth to measure the properties of femtosecond optical pulses. A low distortion and broad measurement bandwidth of 2.78 THz (nearly two orders of magnitude greater than conventional opto-electronic analyzers) was achieved by using a 6 cm long As(2)S(3) chalcogenide waveguide designed for high Kerr nonlinearity and near zero dispersion.

Prediction of hydrophile-lipophile balance values of anionic surfactants using a quantitative structure-property relationship.

A quantitative structure-property relationship study was performed on the hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) values of anionic surfactants. Stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR) and nonlinear radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) were used to build the models. A four-descriptor equation with the squared correlation coefficient (R(2)) of 0.

Application of experimental design and radial basis function neural network to the separation and determination of active components in traditional Chinese medicines by capillary electrophoresis.

Orthogonal design has been used to the optimization of separation and determination of two active components in traditional Chinese medicines by capillary electrophoresis. The concentration of phosphate, applied voltage, organic modifier content and buffer pH were selected as variable parameters. Their different effects on peak resolution were studied by the experimental design method.

Dispersion engineered As(2)S(3) planar waveguides for broadband four-wave mixing based wavelength conversion of 40 Gb/s signals.

We demonstrate broadband wavelength conversion of a 40 Gb/s return-to-zero signal using four-wave-mixing (FWM) in a dispersion engineered chalcogenide glass waveguide. The 6 cm long planar rib waveguide 2 mum wide was fabricated in a 0.87 mum thick film etched 350nm deep to correspond to a design where waveguide dispersion offsets the material leading to near-zero dispersion in the C-band and broadband phase matched FWM.

Blockade of Tim-3 pathway ameliorates interferon-gamma production from hepatic CD8+ T cells in a mouse model of hepatitis B virus infection.

T cell immunoglobulin- and mucin-domain-containing molecule-3 (Tim-3) has been reported to participate in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. However, whether Tim-3 is involved in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains unknown. Here, we studied the expression and function of Tim-3 in a hydrodynamics-based mouse model of HBV infection.

Breakthrough switching speed with an all-optical chalcogenide glass chip: 640 Gbit/s demultiplexing.

We report the first demonstration of error-free 640 Gbit/s demultiplexing using the Kerr non-linearity of an only 5 cm long chalcogenide glass waveguide chip. Our approach exploits four-wave mixing by the instantaneous nonlinear response of chalcogenide. Excellent performance is achieved with only 2 dB average power penalty and no indication of error-floor.

A pilot study of gene expression-based categorization of pancreas transplant biopsies.

Gene expression profiling has emerged as a powerful strategy to define transcriptional mechanism activated in organ transplantation. We performed a pilot feasibility study of mRNA-based pancreas transplant biopsy stratification. The mRNAs expression of 32 genes, observed in renal transplant dysfunction, and 10 pancreas-specific genes were evaluated in 26 pancreas transplant biopsy specimens by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction using TaqMan Low Density Array technology.

[Establishment of serum protein pattern model for screening pancreatic cancers by SELDI-TOF-MS technique].

Objective: To detect the serum specific proteins in pancreatic cancer patients and establish diagnostic model by surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) technique.

Methods: Twenty-nine serum samples from patients of pancreatic cancer were collected before surgery and an additional 57 serum samples from age and sex matched individuals without cancer were used as controls, SELDI-TOF-MS technique and WCX magnetic beads were used to detect the protein fingerprint expression of all the serum samples and the resulting profiles between pancreatic cancer patients and controls were analyzed with biomarker wizard system, established the model using biomarker patterns system software. A double-blind test was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the classification model.

Graft and patient survival in kidney transplant recipients selected for de novo steroid-free maintenance immunosuppression.

Steroid-free regimen is increasingly employed in kidney transplant recipients across transplant centers. However, concern remains because of the unknown impact of such an approach on long-term graft and patient survival. We studied the outcomes of steroid-free immunosuppression in a population-based U.