Linear regression under fixed-rank constraints: A Riemannian approach

In this paper, we tackle the problem of learning a linear regression model whose parameter is a fixed-rank matrix. We study the Riemannian manifold geometry of the set of fixed-rank matrices and develop efficient line-search algorithms. The proposed algorithms have many applications, scale to high-dimensional problems, enjoy local convergence properties and confer a geometric basis to recent contributions on learning fixed-rank matrices. Numerical experiments on benchmarks suggest that the proposed algorithms compete with the state-of-the-art, and that manifold optimization offers a versatile framework for the design of rank-constrained machine learning algorithms. Copyright 2011 by the author(s)/owner(s).

Reconsideration of Phylogenetic Relationships of the Subclass Peritrichia (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea) Based on Small Subunit Ribosomal RNA Gene Sequences, with the Establishment of a New Subclass Mobilia Kahl, 1933

Based on its characteristic oral apparatus, the ciliate subclass Peritrichia has long been recognized as a monophyletic assemblage composed of the orders Mobilida and Sessilida. Following the application of molecular methods, the monophyly of Peritrichia has recently been questioned. We investigated the phylogenetic relationships of the peritrichous ciliates based on four further complete small subunit ribosomal RNA sequences of mobilids, namely Urceolaria urechi, Trichodina meretricis, Trichodina sinonovaculae, and Trichodina ruditapicis. In all phylogenetic trees, the mobilids never clustered with the sessilids, but instead formed a monophyletic assemblage related to the peniculines. By contrast, the sessilids formed a sister clade with the hymenostomes at a terminal position within the Oligohymenophorea. We therefore formally separate the mobilids from the sessilids (Peritrichia sensu stricto) and establish a new subclass, Mobilia Kahl, 1933, which contains the order Mobilida Kahl, 1933. We argue that the oral apparatus in the mobilians and sessilid peritrichs is a homoplasy, probably due to convergent evolution driven by their similar life-styles and feeding strategies. Morphologically, the mobilians are distinguished from all other oligohymenophoreans by the presence of the adhesive disc, this character being a synapomorphy for the Mobilia.

Ordered Zinc Antimonate Nanoisland Attachment and Morphology Control of ZnO Nanobelts by Sb Doping

Hierarchical heterostructures of zinc antimonate nanoislands on ZnO nanobelts were prepared by simple annealing of the polymeric precursor. Sb can promote the growth of ZnO nanobelts along the [552] direction because of the segregation of Sb dopants on the +(001) and (110) surfaces of ZnO nanobelts. Furthermore, the ordered nanoislands of toothlike ZnSb2O6 along the [001](ZnO) direction and rodlike Zn7Sb2O12 along the [110](ZnO) direction can be formed because of the match relation of the lattice and polar charges between ZnO and zinc antimonate. The incorporation of Sb in a ZnO lattice induces composition fluctuation, and the growth of zinc antimonate nanoislands on nanobelt sides induces interface fluctuation, resulting in dominance of the bound exciton transition in the room temperature near-band-edge (NBE) emission at relatively low excitation intensity. At high excitation intensity, however, Auger recombination makes photogenerated electrons release phonon and relax from the conduction band to the trap states, causing the NBE emission to gradually saturate and redshift with increasing excitation intensity. The green emission more reasonably originates from the recombination of electrons in shallow traps with doubly charged V-O** oxygen vacancies. Because a V-O** center can trap a photoactivated electron and change to a singly charged oxygen vacancy V-O* state, its emission intensity exhibits a maximum with increasing excitation intensity.

Effect of the oxygen concentration on the properties of Gd2O3 thin films

Gd2O3 thin films were deposited on Si (100) substrates at 650degreesC by a magnetron sputtering system under different Ar/O-2 ratios of 6:1, 4:1 and 2:1. The effect of the oxygen concentration on the properties of oxide thin films was investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and capacitance-voltage (C-V)measurement. X-ray diffraction shows that the structure of oxide films changed from the monoclinic Gd2O3 phase to cubic Gd2O3 phase when the oxygen concentration increased. According to C-V measurement, the dielectric constant value of the samples deposited at different Ar/O-2 ratios is about 12. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Directional-coupler-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer in silicon-on-insulator technology for optical intensity modulation

Based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology, a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is fabricated, in which two directional couplers serve as power splitter and combiner. The free carrier plasma dispersion effect of Si is adopted to achieve the phase modulation and the consequent intensity modulation of optical fields. The device presents an insertion loss of 2.61 dB and an extinction ratio of 19.6 dB. The rise time and fall time are 676 ns and 552 ns, respectively. Detailed analysis and explanation of the performance behaviors are also presented. (c) 2007 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

施肥水平对长武旱塬地冬小麦产量影响的模拟

为了在实时气象条件下确定旱塬区适宜的肥力水平和产量水平,在模拟精度验证基础上,应用WinEPIC模型模拟研究了黄土高原长武旱塬地1957～2001年期间不同肥力水平下连作冬小麦田产量效应。模型验证结果表明CK、N、NP处理产量模拟值与观测值之间的相关系数分别为0.740、0.764和0.740,均达到显著水平,WinEPIC模型对不同肥力处理下冬小麦籽粒产量模拟较为准确。模拟结果表明,无肥、低肥、中肥和高肥处理下连作冬小麦的产量均呈现波动性降低趋势,其平均值分别为1.055、1.422、2.405和3.170t/hm2,不同肥力处理间差异显著,以中肥和高肥处理增产效果最好。为黄土高原南部沟壑区旱地小麦生产的可持续发展提供了科学依据。

TRIM5α基因的分子进化及AIDS 免疫治疗相关腺病毒载体的构建

本文包括两方面的研究工作。第一部分对TRIM5α基因在灵长类动物中的分 子进化进行了详尽的研究，希望能从分子进化的角度认识该基因在灵长类动物抵 抗病毒感染尤其是在限制HIV-1 感染过程中所起的作用，并希望能够从中寻找适 合用于AIDS 基因治疗的基因。第二部分构建了艾滋病治疗性DC 疫苗相关的腺 病毒载体，包括表达HIV-1 gp120 基因、表达HIV-1 gp41 基因、表达HSP70 基 因以及仅表达绿色荧光蛋白基因的重组腺病毒，为利用HIV-1 抗原刺激的DC 免 疫治疗AIDS 的研究奠定了基础。 在长期的HIV-1 和AIDS 研究中，人们发现很多种旧大陆猴不能被HIV-1 感 染，而旧大陆猴中的平顶猴却对HIV-1 有易感性，并且对SIV 的感染也表现出较 其它旧大陆猴更为严重的症状，TRIM5α基因的发现解释了这一“历史之谜”。人 们发现旧大陆猴的TRIM5α基因具有很强的抗HIV-1 的功能，是旧大陆猴抵抗 HIV-1 感染必须的免疫因子；并且进一步证明TRIM5α是灵长类动物中普遍存在 的、具有抗多种逆转录病毒功能的天然免疫因子。我们通过对TRIM5α基因在灵 长类动物中的分子进化研究发现，证明该基因在进化过程中表现出很强的达尔文 正向选择作用，尤其是其负责识别逆转录病毒衣壳蛋白的SPRY 结构域。TRIM5 α基因表现出的正向选择很可能是灵长类动物在长期的进化过程中反复被病毒 感染的选择压力造成的，这也从另一个方面证明TRIM5α基因是一个普遍存在的、 具有抗病毒功能的天然免疫因子。对不同灵长类动物的TRIM5α基因序列分析发 现，该基因的序列变化很大，这可能是不同灵长类动物被HIV-1 感染后表现不同 症状的原因；基于密码子的中性检测证明，TRIM5α基因SPRY 结构域上第347、 354、552 位氨基酸表现出很强的正向选择，说明这些位点可能与其抗病毒功能 关系紧密。另外，我们发现平顶猴的TRIM5α基因与CypA 基因以一种新的方式 融合，这种融合方式不同于鹰猴中该基因与CypA 基因的融合，而且与具有较强抗HIV-1 功能的恒河猴的TRIM5α基因比较，平顶猴的TRIM5α基因在几个与其 抗病毒功能紧密相关的位点上的氨基酸也发生了变化，这可能是其被HIV-1 和 SIV 感染后表现出较其它旧大陆猴更为严重症状的原因。 将经过HIV-1 抗原刺激的DC 回输到HIV-1 感染者体内可以诱导产生较强的 抗HIV-1 细胞免疫反应，这种免疫反应理论上可以治疗AIDS，而且对HARRT 治 疗能够产生很好的协同作用；HSP70 蛋白可以提高DC 对抗原的加工和呈递。为 了检测经HIV-1 抗原刺激的DC 免疫治疗AIDS 的实际效果，同时检验通过HSP70 增强DC 对HIV-1 抗原的加工和呈递功能，发现并解决这一治疗方案存在的问题， 我们首先从HIV-1 的基因组及带有HSP70 基因的质粒上克隆了gp120、gp41 和 HSP70 基因，测序及序列分析证明所克隆的基因没有发生影响表达的突变。然后 我们分别构建了表达有关基因的重组腺病毒载体。在荧光显微镜下可以观察到感 染后的细胞内绿色荧光蛋白报告基因的表达，证明成功构建了四种重组腺病毒， 而PCR 扩增也证明在其中三种重组腺病毒的基因组上确实分别带有gp120、gp41、 HSP70 基因。同时我们还构建了不表达外源基因的重组腺病毒，作为未来实验中 的对照载体。未来的研究工作包括目的基因表达检测，重组腺病毒感染DC 及腺 病毒感染DC 功能分析等。