Southwest University

About: Southwest University is a education organization based out in Chongqing, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Gene & Population. The organization has 29772 authors who have published 27755 publications receiving 409441 citations. The organization is also known as: Southwest University in Chongqing & SWU.

An efficient image encryption scheme using lookup table-based confusion and diffusion

Abstract: This paper presents a solution to satisfy the increasing requirement of real-time secure image transmission over public networks. The main advantage of the proposed cryptosystem is high efficiency. The confusion and diffusion operations are both performed based on a lookup table. Therefore, the time-consuming floating point arithmetic in chaotic map iteration and quantization procedures of traditional chaos-based image cipher can be avoided. Besides, this cryptosystem possesses satisfactory resistance to noise perturbation and loss of cipher data, which are inevitable and unpredictable in real-world channels. The channel disturbance and the deliberate damage from the opponents are both tolerated. The recovered image from the damaged cipher data has satisfactory visual perception. Simulations prove the advantages of the proposed scheme, which render it a good candidate for real-time secure image applications.

CHIMERIC FLORAL ORGANS1, Encoding a Monocot-Specific MADS Box Protein, Regulates Floral Organ Identity in Rice

Abstract: The control of floral organ identity by homeotic MADS box genes is well established in eudicots. However, grasses have highly specialized outer floral organs, and the identities of the genes that regulate the highly specialized outer floral organs of grasses remain unclear. In this study, we characterized a MIKC-type MADS box gene, CHIMERIC FLORAL ORGANS (CFO1), which plays a key role in the regulation of floral organ identity in rice (Oryza sativa). The cfo1 mutant displayed defective marginal regions of the palea, chimeric floral organs, and ectopic floral organs. Map-based cloning demonstrated that CFO1 encoded the OsMADS32 protein. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that CFO1/OsMADS32 belonged to a monocot-specific clade in the MIKC-type MADS box gene family. The expression domains of CFO1 were mainly restricted to the marginal region of the palea and inner floral organs. The floral organ identity gene DROOPING LEAF (DL) was expressed ectopically in all defective organs of cfo1 flowers. Double mutant analysis revealed that loss of DL function mitigated some of the defects of floral organs in cfo1 flowers. We propose that the CFO1 gene plays a pivotal role in maintaining floral organ identity through negative regulation of DL expression.

DNA-Fueled Molecular Machine Enables Enzyme-Free Target Recycling Amplification for Electronic Detection of MicroRNA from Cancer Cells with Highly Minimized Background Noise

Abstract: The variations in microRNA (miRNA) expression levels can be useful biomarkers for the diagnosis of different cancers. In this work, on the basis of a new miRNA-triggered molecular machine for enzyme-free target recycling signal amplification, the development of a simple electronic sensor for highly sensitive detection of miRNA-21 from human breast cancer cells is described. The three-stand DNA duplex probes are self-assembled on the gold electrode surface to fabricate the sensor. The miRNA-21 target binds to the terminal toehold region of the probes, displaces one of the short strands through toehold-mediated strand displacement reactions, and exposes the secondary toehold region for subsequent hybridization with the methylene blue (MB)-modified DNA fuel strand, which further displaces both the miRNA-21 target and the other short strand to activate the operation of the molecular machine. As a result, the miRNA-21 target is cyclically reused, and many MB-DNA fuel strands are attached to the sensor surface,...