predForm-Site: Formylation site prediction by incorporating multiple features and resolving data imbalance

Formylation is one of the newly discovered post-translational modifications in lysine residue which is responsible for different kinds of diseases. In this work, a novel predictor, named predForm-Site, has been developed to predict formylation sites with higher accuracy. We have integrated multiple sequence features for developing a more informative representation of formylation sites. Moreover, decision function of the underlying classifier have been optimized on skewed formylation dataset during prediction model training for prediction quality improvement. On the dataset used by LFPred and Formator predictor, predForm-Site achieved 99.5% sensitivity, 99.8% specificity and 99.8% overall accuracy with AUC of 0.999 in the jackknife test. In the independent test, it has also achieved more than 97% sensitivity and 99% specificity. Similarly, in benchmarking with recent method CKSAAP_FormSite, the proposed predictor significantly outperformed in all the measures, particularly sensitivity by around 20%, specificity by nearly 30% and overall accuracy by more than 22%. These experimental results show that the proposed predForm-Site can be used as a complementary tool for the fast exploration of formylation sites. For convenience of the scientific community, predForm-Site has been deployed as an online tool, accessible at http://103.99.176.239:8080/predForm-Site.     

L X-ray emission from fast highly charged Cu ions in collisions with gaseous targets: Saturation effect in excitation and transfer

We have measured L X-ray production cross sections for highly charged 156 MeV Be-like Cu ions in collisions with gaseous targets of H₂, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe. In the present collision systems, measured projectile L X-ray intensity is contributed by the excitation as well as electron transfer processes. The projectile L X-ray production cross sections are found to increase initially and then saturate with increasing target atomic number. The charge state dependence of projectile L X-ray production cross sections have been measured with Kr target.     

E-beam curing of epoxy-based blends in order to produce high-performance composites

In this work, blends of a difunctional epoxy monomer and a thermoplastic toughening agent are E-beam irradiated at two different dose rates and two different total absorbed doses. The influence of the processing conditions on the thermal properties and on the morphology of the obtained matrices has been investigated. In particular, it is shown how the increase of the dose rate causes an increase of the temperature during irradiation, thus inducing a simultaneous thermal and radiation curing. On the contrary, at low-dose rate the system mainly undergoes to radiation curing, thus making the cured material very sensible to a post-irradiation thermal treatment with a significant improvement of the thermal properties.     

Time-dependent interaction across two conducting spheres in an applied electrostatic field

Charged particles exist widely in variety of technological areas as well as in nature. Even a weak charge on the particles can significantly influence their electric interaction. We investigated the phenomenon of time-dependent electric interaction between two conducting spheres in an electrostatic field. A mirror-image method was developed to analyze this system, and the fundamental role of the charges on the spheres was studied. We concluded that charges conducted to the lower sphere through the alumina tube used in our system play a main role in determining the time-dependent interaction, whereas the influence from air ions is negligible.     

Valuation perspectives and decompositions for variable annuities with GMWB riders

The guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit (GMWB) rider, as an add on to a variable annuity (VA), guarantees the return of premiums in the form of periodic withdrawals while allowing policyholders to participate fully in any market gains. GMWB riders represent an embedded option on the account value with a fee structure that is different from typical financial derivatives. We consider fair pricing of the GMWB rider from a financial economic perspective. Particular focus is placed on the distinct perspectives of the insurer and policyholder and the unifying relationship. We extend a decomposition of the VA contract into components that reflect term-certain payments and embedded derivatives to the case where the policyholder has the option to surrender, or lapse, the contract early.     

Bounded invariant verification for time-delayed nonlinear networked dynamical systems

We present a technique for bounded invariant verification of nonlinear networked dynamical systems with delayed interconnections. The underlying problem in precise bounded-time verification lies with computing bounds on the sensitivity of trajectories (or solutions) to changes in initial states and inputs of the system. For large networks, computing this sensitivity with precision guarantees is challenging. We introduce the notion of input-to-state (IS) discrepancy of each module or subsystem in a larger nonlinear networked dynamical system. The IS discrepancy bounds the distance between two solutions or trajectories of a module in terms of their initial states and their inputs. Given the IS discrepancy functions of the modules, we show that it is possible to effectively construct a reduced (low dimensional) time-delayed dynamical system, such that the trajectory of this reduced model precisely bounds the distance between the trajectories of the complete network with changed initial states. Using the above results we develop a sound and relatively complete algorithm for bounded invariant verification of networked dynamical systems consisting of nonlinear modules interacting through possibly delayed signals. Finally, we introduce a local version of IS discrepancy and show that it is possible to compute them using only the Lipschitz constant and the Jacobian of the dynamic function of the modules.     

Multiple bifurcation trees of period-1 motions to chaos in a periodically forced,time-delayed,hardening Duffing oscillator

In this paper, bifurcation trees of periodic motions in a periodically forced, time-delayed, hardening Duffing oscillator are analytically predicted by a semi-analytical method. Such a semi-analytical method is based on the differential equation discretization of the time-delayed, nonlinear dynamical system. Bifurcation trees for the stable and unstable solutions of periodic motions to chaos in such a time-delayed, Duffing oscillator are achieved analytically. From the finite discrete Fourier series, harmonic frequency-amplitude curves for stable and unstable solutions of period-1 to period-4 motions are developed for a better understanding of quantity levels, singularity and catastrophes of harmonic amplitudes in the frequency domain. From the analytical prediction, numerical results of periodic motions in the time-delayed, hardening Duffing oscillator are completed. Through the numerical illustrations, the complexity and asymmetry of period-1 motions to chaos in nonlinear dynamical systems are strongly dependent on the distributions and quantity levels of harmonic amplitudes. With the quantity level increases of specific harmonic amplitudes, effects of the corresponding harmonics on the periodic motions become strong, and the certain complexity and asymmetry of periodic motion and chaos can be identified through harmonic amplitudes with higher quantity levels.     

Discrete fractional logistic map and its chaos

A discrete fractional logistic map is proposed in the left Caputo discrete delta’s sense. The new model holds discrete memory. The bifurcation diagrams are given and the chaotic behaviors are numerically illustrated.     

Numerical simulation of solitons switching and propagating in asymmetric directional couplers

A numerical investigation, based on the use of split step Fourier transformation algorithm, of all-optical solitons switching in asymmetric directional couplers is presented. The numerical algorithm is described in details. The analysis highlights the influence of the different effective mode area, the phase- and group–velocity mismatch, the different dispersion between two cores on the switching and propagation of short pulses. The investigation indicates that the phase velocity mismatch and the different effective mode area can reduce the coupling length while the different group velocity and the different dispersion between two cores do not change the coupling length. We have also found that the increase of effective mode area ratio can lead to an increase of the switching threshold power but improve significantly the switching steepness, the increase of the phase velocity mismatch can cause a decrease of the switching threshold power but degrade the switching steepness, the increase of the ratio of dispersion can result in a decrease of the switching threshold power and vary the switching steepness, the increase of group velocity mismatch can give rise to an increase of the switching threshold power but improve obviously the switching steepness. Furthermore, the group velocity mismatch can induce solitons pulse to walk off or stretch in the asymmetric directional coupler.     

Offline Arbitrated Quantum Blind Dual-Signature Protocol with Better Performance in Resisting Existential Forgery Attack

In this paper, we present an offline arbitrated quantum blind dual-signature protocol by using four-particle entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger(GHZ) states. By using the special relationship of four-particle GHZ states, we can not only support the security of quantum signature, but also guarantee the anonymity of the message owner. In our protocol, the authority of the arbitrator has been reduced, i.e., he will not help the receiver verify the signature in the verification. Compared with the previous quantum blind signature protocols, the presented arbitrator is offline. Finally, the security analysis and discussion are proposed.