Encapsulation of RNA by negatively charged human serum albumin via physical interactions

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant plasma protein and has an inherent ability to target tumor cells. It is an excellent candidate for drug delivery. However, HSA cannot form complex with DNA or RNA, because it is negatively charged under physiological conditions. In this work, we reported a simple method to prepare HSA/RNA nanoparticles mainly by physical interaction. Firstly, the solution pH is adjusted to 4.0, under which condition HSA is positively charged. It forms complex with RNA via electrostatic interaction. The solution is then heated at 75 oC for 15 min to stabilize the structure and the size of the formed complex. The HSA/RNA nanoparticle prepared by this method has a diameter about 110 nm and a narrow distribution. It is also stable for days under physiological conditions. Cellular essays demonstrate that these particles exhibit a high cellular uptake efficiency and non-toxicity to HeLa cells.     

Admissibility of linear estimators with respect to inequality constraints under some loss functions

In this paper, we study the issue of admissibility of linear estimated functions of parameters in the multivariate linear model with respect to inequality constraints under a matrix loss and a matrix balanced loss. Under the matrix loss, when the model is not constrained, the results in the class of non-homogeneous linear estimators [Xie, 1989, Chinese Sci. Bull., 1148–1149; Xie, 1993, J. Multivariate Anal., 1071–1074] showed that the admissibility under the matrix loss and the trace loss is equivalent. However, when the model is constrained by the inequality constraints, we find this equivalency is not tenable, our result shows that the admissibility of linear estimator does not depend on the constraints again under this matrix loss, but it is contrary under the trace loss [Wu, 2008, Linear Algebra Appl., 2040–2048], and it is also relative to the constraints under another matrix loss [He, 2009, Linear Algebra Appl., 241–250]. Under the matrix balanced loss, the necessary and sufficient conditions that the linear estimators are admissible in the class of homogeneous and non-homogeneous linear estimators are obtained, respectively. These results will support the theory of admissibility on the linear model with inequality constraints.     

Solvothermal Synthesis of Multiple Dihydropyrimidinones at a Time as Inhibitors of Eg5

Solvothermal synthesis of multiple dihydropyrimidinones at a time has been developed in inexpensive and green bio-based solvent lactic acid without any additional catalysts or additives. By this method, thirty new dihydropyrimidinone derivatives were synthesized in two batches and characterized. All of the compounds were screened by Eg5 motor protein ATPase assay, and the positive compounds were tested against the Caco-2 cell line, HeLa cell line, L929 cell line and T24 cell line in vitro. Among them, compound C9 exhibited the best inhibitory activity against motor protein ATPase with an IC₅₀ value of 30.25 μM and significant cytotoxic activity in the micromolar range against the cells above. The Lineweaver–Burk plot revealed that compound C9 was a mixed-type Eg5 inhibitor. A molecular modeling study using the Discovery Studio program was performed, where compound C9 exhibited good binding interaction with Eg5 motor protein ATPase, and this was consistent with the attained experimental results.     

Microalgae separation by inertia-enhanced pinched flow fractionation

To improve the accuracy and efficiency of ships’ ballast water detection, the separation of microalgae according to size is significant. In this article, a method to separate microalgae based on inertia-enhanced pinched flow fractionation (iPFF) was reported. The method utilized the inertial lift force induced by flow to separate microalgae according to size continuously. The experimental results show that, as the Reynolds number increases, the separation effect becomes better at first, but then stays unchanged. The best separation effect can be obtained when the Reynolds number is 12.3. In addition, with the increase of the flow rate ratio between sheath fluid and microalgae mixture, the separation effect becomes better and the best separation effect can be obtained when the flow rate ratio reaches 10. In this case, the recovery rate of Tetraselmis sp. is about 90%, and the purity is about 86%; the recovery rate of Chlorella sp. is as high as 99%, and the purity is about 99%. After that, the separation effect keeps getting better but very slowly. In general, this study provides a simple method for the separation of microalgae with different sizes, and lays a foundation for the accurate detection of microalgae in the ballast water.     

Synergic Enhancement of High-density Polyethylene through Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene and Multi-flow Vibration Injection Molding: A Facile Fabrication with Potential Industrial Prospects

General-purpose plastics with high strength and toughness have been in great demand for structural engineering applications. To achieve the reinforcement and broaden the application scope of high-density polyethylene(HDPE), multi-flow vibration injection molding(MFVIM) and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE) are synergistically employed in this work. Herein, the MFVIM has better shear layer control ability and higher fabrication advantage for complex parts than other analogous novel injection molding technologies reported.The reinforcing effect of various filling times and UHMWPE contents as well as the corresponding microstructure evolution are investigated.When 5 wt% UHMWPE is added, MFVIM process with six flow times thickens the shear layer to the whole thickness. The tensile strength and modulus increase to 2.14 and 1.39 times, respectively, compared to neat HDPE on the premise of remaining 70% impact strength. Structural characterizations indicate that the enhancement is attributed to the improvement of shish-kebab content and lamellae compactness, as well as related to the corresponding size distributions of undissolved UHMWPE particles. This novel injection molding technology with great industrial prospects provides a facile and effective strategy to broaden the engineering applications of HDPE materials. Besides, excessive UHMWPE may impair the synergistic enhancement effect, which is also reasonably explained.     

New Sixth-Order Compact Schemes for Poisson/Helmholtz Equations

Some new sixth-order compact finite difference schemes for Poisson/Helmholtz equations on rectangular domains in both two- and three-dimensions are developed and analyzed. Different from a few sixth-order compact finite difference schemes in the literature, the finite difference and weight coefficients of the new methods have analytic simple expressions. One of the new ideas is to use a weighted combination of the source term at staggered grid points which is important for grid points near the boundary and avoids partial derivatives of the source term. Furthermore, the new compact schemes are exact for 2D and 3D Poisson equations if the solution is a polynomial less than or equal to 6. The coefficient matrices of the new schemes are $M$-matrices for Helmholtz equations with wave number $K≤0,$ which guarantee the discrete maximum principle and lead to the convergence of the new sixth-order compact schemes. Numerical examples in both 2D and 3D are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed schemes.     

A study of the freezing of binary solutions saturating a porous matrix

The freezing of a binary solution saturating a porous matrix is investigated experimentally and numerically. An aqueous solution of sodium chloride constituted the binary solution. Spherical glass beads constituted the porous matrix. The freezing was initiated at one of the vertical walls of a rectangular cavity. The temperature distribution in the solid, liquid and mush regions were recorded. A mathematical model that considered conduction as the only mode of heat transfer was developed. The predictions of the model were compared with experimental data. In general, as the model were compared with experimental data. In general, as the model ignored natural convection, the predicted temperatures agreed well with the data during early times in the freezing when conduction was the dominant mode of heat transfer. But as freezing progressed the predictions departed from the data and this departure was larger when the initial superheat was high i.e., when the natural convective flow was vigorous and its influence strong on the freezing process.

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Untersuchung des Gefriervorgangs in einem mit binärer Flüssigkeit getränkten porösen Körper

Zusammenfassung Der Gefriervorgang in einem mit einer binären Flüssigkeit getränkten porösen Körper wurde experimentell und numerisch untersucht. Eine wässerige Lösung von Natriumchlorid bildete die Binärlösung, während eine Glaskugelschüttung den porösen Körper repräsentierte. Der Gefriervorgang wurde an einer der senkrechten Wände einer rechteckigen Vertiefung eingeleitet und die Temperaturverteilung in der Fest-, Flüssig- und Mischphase gemessen. Das zur Überprüfung der experimentell gefundenen Ergebnisse dienende mathematische Modell unterstellte Wärmeleitung als einzigen Wärmetransportmechanisms. Da zu Beginn des Gefriervorgangs die im Modell vernachlässigte natürliche Konvektion gegenüber der Wärmeleitung von geringem Einfluß ist, zeigte sich in diesem Bereich gute Übereinstimmung zwischen Theorie und Experiment. Mit fortschreitendem Gefriervorgang traten immer größere Abweichungen auf, besonders wenn die Anfangsüberhitzung hoch war und folglich die natürliche Konvektionsströmung starken Einfluß auf den Gefriervorgang nahm.

     

Fatigue crack growth behavior of Al7050-T7451 attachment lugs under flight spectrum variation

This paper discusses an analytical and experimental investigations of the fatigue crack growth behavior in attachment lugs subjected to a randomized flight-by-flight spectrum. In the analysis, the stress intensity factors for through-the-thickness cracks initiating from lug holes were compared by weight function method, boundary element method (BEM), the interpolation of Brussat’s solution. The stress intensity factors of a corner crack at a transition region were obtained using two parameter weight function method and correction factors. Fatigue life under a load spectrum was predicted using stress intensity factors and Willenborg retardation model considering the effects of a tensile overload. Experiments were performed under a load spectrum and compared with the fatigue life prediction using the stress intensity factors by different methods. Changes of fatigue life and aspect ratio according to the clipping level of the spectrum were discussed through experiment and prediction. Effect of the spectrum clipping level on the fatigue life was experimentally evaluated by using beach marks of fractured surface.     

Preparing Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger States by Lypunov Control

International Journal of Theoretical Physics - A scheme is proposed for preparing Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states by Lyapunov control based on quantum Zeno dynamics. The advantage of our...     

Quantum Hacking on an Integrated Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution System via Power Analysis

In quantum key distribution (QKD), there are some security loopholes opened by the gaps between the theoretical model and the practical system, and they may be exploited by eavesdroppers (Eve) to obtain secret key information without being detected. This is an effective quantum hacking strategy that seriously threatens the security of practical QKD systems. In this paper, we propose a new quantum hacking attack on an integrated silicon photonic continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) system, which is known as a power analysis attack. This attack can be implemented by analyzing the power originating from the integrated electrical control circuit in state preparation with the help of machine learning, where the state preparation is assumed to be perfect in initial security proofs. Specifically, we describe a possible power model and show a complete attack based on a support vector regression (SVR) algorithm. The simulation results show that the secret key information decreases with the increase of the accuracy of the attack, especially in a situation with less excess noise. In particular, Eve does not have to intrude into the transmitter chip (Alice), and may perform a similar attack in practical chip-based discrete-variable quantum key distribution (DVQKD) systems. To resist this attack, the electrical control circuit should be improved to randomize the corresponding power. In addition, the power can be reduced by utilizing the dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) technology.