Preventing rumor spreading on small-world networks

Since the spreading of harmful rumors can deeply endanger a society, it is valuable to investigate strategies that can efficiently prevent hazardous rumor propagation. To conduct this investigation, the authors modify the SIR model to describe rumor propagation on networks, and apply two major immunization strategies, namely, the random immunization and the targeted immunization to the rumor model on a small-world network. The authors find that when the average degree of the network is small, both two strategies are effective and when the average degree is large, neither strategy is efficient in preventing rumor propagation. In the latter case, the authors propose a new strategy by decreasing the credibility of the rumor and applying either the random or the targeted immunization at the same time. Numerical simulations indicate that this strategy is effective in preventing rumor spreading on the small-world network with large average degree.     

Some synchronization criteria for general complex networks with coupling delays

A general complex delayed dynamical network model with asymmetric coupling matrix is considered in this paper. For reducing the conservativeness of synchronization criteria, several novel synchronization stability conditions are presented by using delay decomposition methods. Numerical examples which are widely used to study delay-dependent synchronization stability are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.     

Arts,Culture and Science and Their Relationships

The context of this analysis is the golden years of the decade of the 1960s that served as a backdrop for consolidating capitalism and the globalized world. The aim is to analyze, understand and establish possible connections between the arts in general and the world in which modern society operates. This is a theoretical essay anchored in theoretical assumptions of sociology, arts and the culture of the globalized world and built on the practical experience of these researchers. We use the interpretative approach and technique of hermeneutic phenomenology to give meaning to historical events and the cultural and artistic implications of these events in the rise of science and technology. A systemic examination supports the relationship between art, culture, science and technology. The evidence shows that artistic and cultural issues are essential to make sense of life in society and in the absence of such basis, the world would be meaningless and humans would lose a sense of direction. It can be concluded that the arts are becoming increasingly relevant as the virtual world becomes large-scale and truly global, and that the development of science and technology benefits from the rise of the cultural and artistic world of today. Finally, the correspondence between the artistic and cultural world and the current scientific and technological development confirms the emergence of a globalized, digitalised (virtual) knowledge society.     

Generalized invexity-type conditions in constrained optimization

This paper defines a new class of generalized type I functions, and obtains Kuhn-Tucker necessary and sufficient conditions and duality results for constrained optimization problems in the presence of the aforesaid weaker assumptions on the objective and constraint functions involved in the problem.     

Mean-variance model based on filters of minimum spanning tree

This study aims to reduce the statistical uncertainty of the correlation coefficient matrix in the mean-variance model of Markowitz. A filtering algorithm based on minimum spanning tree (MST) is proposed. Daily data of the 30 stocks of the Hang Seng Index (HSI) and Dow Jones Index (DJI) from 2004 to 2009 are selected as the base dataset. The proposed algorithm is compared with the Markowitz method in terms of risk, reliability, and effective size of the portfolio. Results show that (1) although the predicted risk of portfolio built with the MST is slightly higher than that of Markowitz, the realized risk of MST filtering algorithm is much smaller; and (2) the reliability and the effective size of filtering algorithm based on MST is apparently better than that of the Markowitz portfolio. Therefore, conclusion is that filtering algorithm based on MST improves the mean-variance model of Markowitz.     

An aqueous extract of Liu Wei Di Huang Wan alters the labeling of blood constituents with Technetium-99m

The Liu Wei Di Huang Wan is a formula of a traditional Chinese medicine that is used to treat asthma patients and has been shown to have several important properties,such as antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities.The influence of an extract of Liu Wei Di Huang Wan on the labeling of blood constituents with technetium-99m was investigated.Anticoagulated blood(Wistar rats) was incubated with the extract,stannous chloride and technetium-99m,as sodium pertechnetate.Samples were centrifuged and aliquots of plasma and blood cells were separated and precipitated with trichloroacetic acid,to obtain soluble and insoluble fractions of the blood constituents.The percentage of radioactivity(%ATI) in all the fractions was determined.The analysis of the results shows that the extract at the highest concentration used(70 mg/mL) decreased significantly(P<0.05) the %ATI(from 96.48 ± 1.19 to 54.46 ± 7.38) on blood cells compartment,(from 81.11 ± 4.15 to 61.33 ± 4.74) on insoluble fractions of blood cells and(from 65.91 ± 2.44 to 13.15 ± 3.62) on insoluble fractions of plasma.In conclusion,the results suggest that the substances present on this extract can alter this labeling process,probably due to(i) redox properties(antioxidant and chelator activities) and/or(ii) specific actions in the binding sites where the 99mTc would be bound on the blood constituents.As a consequence,precaution is suggested on the interpretation of the nuclear medicine results from performed with blood constituents labeled with 99m Tc in patients that have undertaken LWDHW,although the current findings were obtained in experimental animal models.     

Characterization of an endo-1,4-β-glucanase from Lilium longiflorum that functioned in pollen germination and pollen tube growth

Endo-β-glucanases play vital roles in the regulation of pollen tube growth. Here, a previously identified endo-l,4-β-glucanase from Lilium Iongiflorum （lily）, named LlpCell, was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and further investigated for its physiological function. The recombinant LlpCell protein hydrolyzed carboxy-methylcellulose （CMC） and exhibited activity towards laminarin from Eisenia. arborea and 1,3：l,4-β-glucan of barley. The pH for the optimum activity was 6.0 and the value of Km calculated from CMC was 5.0 mg/mL. Adding EDTA resulted in the total loss of the enzymatic activity, and this effect could be restored by the addition of Ca^2＋. Western blotting analysis showed that LlpCell protein was present in pollen grains and rehydrated pollen grains, and the amount of the protein was increased during pollen germinating, but not in the pollen tube. Consistently, the immunofluorescence labeling study with the antibody against LIpCell also indicated the presence of LIpCell at the begin-ning of germination, but not in the elongating pollen tube. Furthermore, incubation of LlpCell with pollen at the beginning of pollen germination increased the germination percentage and the length of pollen tube. All of these results suggested that LlpCell could play an important role in the regulation of lily pollen germination and the initiation of pollen tube growth.     

Electromagnetic behavior of two-dimensional quasi-crystal left-handed materials with dendritic unit

We demonstrated a two-dimensional quasi-crystal dendritic structure model with negative permeability. The microwave transmission and reflection properties of periodic and quasi-crystal dendritic structure mediums with varied angle incidence were measured. The results showed that the resonant peaks of quasi-crystal negative permeability samples and left-handed samples had tiny shift with the altering of incident angle. Because of the influence of coupling between quasi-crystal dendritic cells, the resonance of the entire material was enhanced or weakened. The quasi-crystal dendritic structure model will provide an easy method to design isotropic left-handed materials （LHMs）.     

Soluble Jagged 1/Fc chimera protein induces the differentiation and maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells

A soluble Jagged 1/Fc chimera protein （Jagged 1/Fc） was directly used to induce differentiation and maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells （DCs） in mice in vitro. A model of inducing and amplifying DCs in vitrowas established. The effect of Jagged 1/Fc on morphology of DCs induced by both rmGM-CSF and rmlL-4 was observed under a confocal microscope. A fluorescein-labeled monoclonal antibody staining combined with flow cytometry was applied to detect the effect of Jagged 1/Fc on the expression of CD11c, MHC-Ⅱ, CD86, CD80 and CD40 molecules on the surface of DCs. The results showed that Jagged 1/Fc did not affect the morphological properties of DC differentiation induced by both rmGM-CSF and rmlL-4. But it could promote the differentiation and maturation of DCs induced by both. The effect of it was strikingly different in the expression profile of co-stimulating molecules and the morphologic properties of DCs from lipopolysaccharide （LPS）. The levels of MHC-Ⅱ and CD40 molecule expression on the surface of DCs stimulated by Jagged 1/Fc were significantly lower than those stimulated by LPS, and the level of CD80 expression on the surface of DCs induced by Jagged 1/Fc was near to that induced by LPS. Jagged 1/Fc had no influence on the expression of CD86 molecule on the surface of DCs. Jagged 1/Fc when used alone could not maintain the growth, differentiation and maturation of DCs. All the findings indicate that Jagged 1/Fc influences the differentiation and maturation of DCs, which is not markedly similar to LPS, providing important evidence for its development and application as a novel immunosuppressant.     

A new chromatographic method for fast separation of active proteins

A new method with only a single chromatographic column to accomplish the separation of intact protein molecules by the combination of ion exchange chromatography and hydrophobic interaction chromatography is firstly presented. By selecting twice a suitable stationary phase, mobile phase, buffer exchange condition, and sample injection, some proteins usually required to separate with two-dimensional chromatography can now be accomplished only using the single column in one hour. In addition, the separated proteins can maintain their original three-or four-dimensional molecular structure. It would be expected that this method can also provide a new thought for sample pre-fractionation in proteomic investigation, especially, for the limitation of sample source.