Yuangen Yao

There exists an optimal range of intensity of a chaotic force in which the behavior of a chaos-driven bistable system with two weak inputs can be consistently mapped to a specific logic output. This phenomenon is called logical chaotic resonance (LCR). However, realization of a reliable exclusive disjunction (XOR) through LCR has not been reported. Here, we explore the possibility of using chaos to enhance the reliability of XOR logic operation in a triple-well potential system via LCR. The success probability P of obtaining XOR logic operation can take the maximum value of 1 in an optimal window of intensity D of a chaotic force. Namely, success probability P displays characteristic bell-shaped behavior by altering the intensity of the chaotic driving force, indicating the occurrence of LCR. Further, the effects of periodic force on LCR have been investigated. For a subthreshold chaotic force, a periodic force with appropriate amplitude and frequency can help enhance the reliability of XOR logic operation. Thus, LCR can be effectively regulated by changing the amplitude and frequency of the periodic force.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a kind of short non-coding ribonucleic acid molecules that can regulate gene expression. The computational identification of plant miRNAs is of great significance to understanding biological functions. In our previous studies, we have put firstly forward and further developed a set of knowledge-based energy features to construct two plant pre-miRNA prediction tools (plantMirP and riceMirP). However, these two tools cannot be used for miRNA prediction from NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) data. In addition, for further improving the prediction performance and accessibility, plantMirP2 has been developed. Based on the latest dataset, plantMirP2 achieves a promising performance: 0.9968 (Area Under Curve, AUC), 0.9754 (accuracy), 0.9675 (sensitivity) and 0.9876 (specificity). Additionally, the comparisons with other plant pre-miRNA tools show that plantMirP2 performs better. Finally, the webserver and stand-alone version of plantMirP2 are available.

Coupling-induced logical stochastic resonance (LSR) can be observed in a noise-driven coupled bistable system where the behaviors of system can be interpreted consistently as a specific logic gate in an appropriate noise level. Here constant coupling is extended to time-varying coupling, and then we investigate the effect of time-varying coupling on LSR in a periodically driven coupled bistable system. When coupling intensity oscillates periodically with the same frequency with periodic force or relatively high frequency, the system successfully yields the desired logic output. When coupling intensity oscillates irregularly with phase disturbance, large phase disturbance reduces the area of optimal parameter region of coupling intensity and response speed of logic devices. Although the system behaves as a desired logic gate when the frequency of time-periodic coupling intensity is precisely equal to that of periodic force, the desired logic gate is not robust against tiny frequency difference and phase disturbance. Therefore, periodic coupling intensity with high frequency ratio is an optimal option to obtain a reliable and robust logic operation.