溶剂在嵌段共聚高分子膜中的溶解与传递现象

利用石英弹簧称重法测定了308．15K时乙醇和苯在含端羟基聚丁二烯(HTPB)和端羟基聚丁二烯／丙烯腈共聚物(HTBN)的嵌段共聚聚氨酯膜中的吸收动力学曲线。结合吸收-络合吸附双模式传递模型,研究了聚氨酯膜的微相分离程度、软硬段的比例和组成以及软段分子量等因素对溶剂在膜中溶解和传递性质的影响。     

分支方法与广义CH方程的显式周期波解

用动力系统分支方法和数值模拟的方法去寻找广义CH方程的显式周期波解,首先建立与非线性偏微分方程对应的平面系统,其次绘制出该系统的的分支相图并做计算机数值模拟,确定分支相图中与显式周期波解有关的特殊轨道,最后通过这种特殊轨道及椭圆函数、椭圆积分来获得显式周期波解.     

Relative Degree Structural Hole Centrality,CRD−SH: A New Centrality Measure in Complex Networks

In order to assess influential nodes in complex networks, the authors propose a novel ranking method based on structural hole in combination with the degree ratio of a node and its neighbors. The proposed method is a response to the limitations of other proposed measures in this field. The structural hole gives a comprehensive attention of the information about the node topology in relation to its neighbors, whereas the degree ratio of nodes reflects its significance against the neighbors.Combination of the two aforementioned measures summarized in the structural hole leverage matrix demonstrates the importance of a node according to its position in the network structure. So a more accurate method for ranking influential nodes is established. The simulation results over different-scale networks(small networks with less than 30 nodes, medium networks with less than 150 nodes and large networks with more than 1000 nodes) suggest that the proposed method can rank important nodes more effectively and precisely in complex networks specifically in larger ones.     

Opportunity Initiated Systems Design: A Case Study

The field of Instructional Systems Design (ISD) provides models from which instructional changes can be designed and implemented. In ISD programs, students develop skills in the application of this process and apply these skills in a variety of settings. Although our models also provide a framework from which program change can proceed, few examples exist of the application of ISD to the design of an educational system (Squire, 1999). In this paper we describe the application of Opportunity Initiated Systems Design, apractitioner-based ISD model, in light of our own formative evaluation and program revision of the Instructional Design and Technology program at the University of Iowa. In this case study, we found that the communication of shared definitions was critical and that the probabilistic nature of the model was not a limitation but rather a prompt for further opportunities.     

Anisotropic Orthogonal Procrustes Analysis

The aim of this paper is to analyze two scaling extensions of the Orthogonal Procrustes Problem (OPP) called the pre-scaling and the post-scaling approaches. We also discuss some problems related to these extensions and propose two new algorithms to find optimal solutions. These algorithms, which are based on the majorization principle, are shown to be monotonically convergent and their performance is examined.     

The multidrug-resistant human pathogen Clostridium difficile has a highly mobile, mosaic genome

We determined the complete genome sequence of Clostridium difficile strain 630, a virulent and multidrug-resistant strain. Our analysis indicates that a large proportion (11%) of the genome consists of mobile genetic elements, mainly in the form of conjugative transposons. These mobile elements are putatively responsible for the acquisition by C. difficile of an extensive array of genes involved in antimicrobial resistance, virulence, host interaction and the production of surface structures. The metabolic capabilities encoded in the genome show multiple adaptations for survival and growth within the gut environment. The extreme genome variability was confirmed by whole-genome microarray analysis; it may reflect the organism's niche in the gut and should provide information on the evolution of virulence in this organism.     

Implementation Study of Dynamic Load Balancing Algorithm of Parallel Tree Computation on Clusters of Heterogeneous Workstation

Introduction Inthe1980sresearchersbelievedthatthebestwayto improvecomputerperformancewasbycreatingfasterand momefficientprocessors.Thisideawaschallengedby parallelprocessingwhichinessencemeanslinkingtogether twoormorecomputerstosolvejointlyacomputational problem.Inearly1990sthetrendwastomoveawayfrom expensiveandspecializedproprietarysupercomputers towardsnetworkofworkstations,producinganew computingplatformcalledCOW.[1]Theemergenceof COWhasbeenfosterednotonlybyrecentadvancesin computerhardw…     

Abnormal TNF activity in Timp3-/- mice leads to chronic hepatic inflammation and failure of liver regeneration

Tumor-necrosis factor (TNF), a pleiotropic cytokine, triggers physiological and pathological responses in several organs. Here we show that deletion of the mouse gene Timp3 resulted in an increase in TNF-alpha converting enzyme activity, constitutive release of TNF and activation of TNF signaling in the liver. The increase in TNF in Timp3(-/-) mice culminated in hepatic lymphocyte infiltration and necrosis, features that are also seen in chronic active hepatitis in humans. This pathology was prevented when deletion of Timp3 was combined with Tnfrsf1a deficiency. In a liver regeneration model that requires TNF signaling, Timp3(-/-) mice succumbed to liver failure. Hepatocytes from Timp3(-/-) mice completed the cell cycle but then underwent cell death owing to sustained activation of TNF. This hepatocyte cell death was completely rescued by a neutralizing antibody to TNF. Dysregulation of TNF occurred specifically in Timp3(-/-), and not Timp1(-/-) mice. These data indicate that TIMP3 is a crucial innate negative regulator of TNF in both tissue homeostasis and tissue response to injury.     

Lgr5 homologues associate with Wnt receptors and mediate R-spondin signalling

The adult stem cell marker Lgr5 and its relative Lgr4 are often co-expressed in Wnt-driven proliferative compartments. We find that conditional deletion of both genes in the mouse gut impairs Wnt target gene expression and results in the rapid demise of intestinal crypts, thus phenocopying Wnt pathway inhibition. Mass spectrometry demonstrates that Lgr4 and Lgr5 associate with the Frizzled/Lrp Wnt receptor complex. Each of the four R-spondins, secreted Wnt pathway agonists, can bind to Lgr4, -5 and -6. In HEK293 cells, RSPO1 enhances canonical WNT signals initiated by WNT3A. Removal of LGR4 does not affect WNT3A signalling, but abrogates the RSPO1-mediated signal enhancement, a phenomenon rescued by re-expression of LGR4, -5 or -6. Genetic deletion of Lgr4/5 in mouse intestinal crypt cultures phenocopies withdrawal of Rspo1 and can be rescued by Wnt pathway activation. Lgr5 homologues are facultative Wnt receptor components that mediate Wnt signal enhancement by soluble R-spondin proteins. These results will guide future studies towards the application of R-spondins for regenerative purposes of tissues expressing Lgr5 homologues.     

Scaling laws of marine predator search behaviour

Many free-ranging predators have to make foraging decisions with little, if any, knowledge of present resource distribution and availability. The optimal search strategy they should use to maximize encounter rates with prey in heterogeneous natural environments remains a largely unresolved issue in ecology. Lévy walks are specialized random walks giving rise to fractal movement trajectories that may represent an optimal solution for searching complex landscapes. However, the adaptive significance of this putative strategy in response to natural prey distributions remains untested. Here we analyse over a million movement displacements recorded from animal-attached electronic tags to show that diverse marine predators-sharks, bony fishes, sea turtles and penguins-exhibit Lévy-walk-like behaviour close to a theoretical optimum. Prey density distributions also display Lévy-like fractal patterns, suggesting response movements by predators to prey distributions. Simulations show that predators have higher encounter rates when adopting Lévy-type foraging in natural-like prey fields compared with purely random landscapes. This is consistent with the hypothesis that observed search patterns are adapted to observed statistical patterns of the landscape. This may explain why Lévy-like behaviour seems to be widespread among diverse organisms, from microbes to humans, as a 'rule' that evolved in response to patchy resource distributions.