Random sequences with power-law correlations exhibit proteinlike behavior

We use a replica approach to investigate the thermodynamic properties of the random heteropolymers with persistent power-law correlations in monomer sequence. We show that this type of sequences possess proteinlike properties. In particular, we show that they can fold into stable unique three-dimensional structure (the "native" structure, in protein terminology) through two different types of pathways. One is a fast folding pathway and leads directly to the native structure. Another one, a more slower pathway, passes through the microphase separated (MPS) state and includes a number of intermediate glassy states. The scale and the magnitude of the MPS are calculated. The frozen state can be reached only by sequences with weak long-range correlations. The critical value for the correlation exponent is found, above which (strong correlations) freezing is impossible.     

Partially Annealed Disorder and Collapse of Like-Charged Macroions

Charged systems with partially annealed charge disorder are investigated using field-theoretic and replica methods. Charge disorder is assumed to be confined to macroion surfaces surrounded by a cloud of mobile neutralizing counterions in an aqueous solvent. A general formalism is developed by assuming that the disorder is partially annealed (with purely annealed and purely quenched disorder included as special cases), i.e., we assume in general that the disorder undergoes a slow dynamics relative to fast-relaxing counterions making it possible thus to study the stationary-state properties of the system using methods similar to those available in equilibrium statistical mechanics. By focusing on the specific case of two planar surfaces of equal mean surface charge and disorder variance, it is shown that partial annealing of the quenched disorder leads to renormalization of the mean surface charge density and thus a reduction of the inter-plate repulsion on the mean-field or weak-coupling level. In the strong-coupling limit, charge disorder induces a long-range attraction resulting in a continuous disorder-driven collapse transition for the two surfaces as the disorder variance exceeds a threshold value. Disorder annealing further enhances the attraction and, in the limit of low screening, leads to a global attractive instability in the system.     

An extension of spatial decay results of Breuer & Roseman to a wide class of nonlinear Dirichlet problems

Pointwise spatial decay estimates for a class of steady and unsteady nonlinear Dirichlet problems in a semi-infinite cylinder are obtained. These estimates extend previous results of Breuer & Roseman to a wider class of equations of mathematical physics.     

On the exponential temporal decay of solutions and their derivatives for quasilinear parabolic equations

A nonlinear model for temperature evolution in a one-dimensional rod is considered. Integral and uniform pointwise temporal exponential decay estimates for the solution and its derivatives are obtained. A method is demonstrated for derivatives up to the third order but seems to apply for derivatives of any order as well.The results in this paper represent a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Tel Aviv University by Yevgeni Shenker under the guidance of Joseph J. Roseman.     

M/D^{[y]}/1 Periodically gated vacation model and its application to IEEE 802.16 network

In this paper we consider the analysis of an \(M/D^{[y]}/1\) vacation queue with periodically gated discipline. The motivation of introducing the new periodically gated discipline lies in modeling a kind of contention-based bandwidth reservation mechanism applied in wireless networks. The analysis approach applied here consists of two steps and it is based on appropriately chosen characteristic epochs of the system. We provide approximate expressions for the probability-generating function of the number of customers at arbitrary epoch as well as for the Laplace–Stieljes transform and for the mean of the steady-state waiting time. Several numerical examples are also provided. In the second part of the paper we discuss how to apply the periodically gated vacation model to the non real-time uplink traffic in IEEE 802.16-based wireless broadband networks.     

Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogel Microcapsules Harnessing the COVID-19 Immune Response for Cancer Therapeutics

The combination of gene therapy and immunotherapy concepts, along recent advances in DNA nanotechnology, have the potential to provide important tools for cancer therapies. We present the development of stimuli-responsive microcapsules, loaded with a viral immunogenetic agent, harnessing the immune response against the Coronavirus Disease 2019, COVID-19, to selectively attack liver cancer cells (hepatoma) or recognize breast cancer or hepatoma, by expression of green fluorescence protein, GFP. The pH-responsive microcapsules, modified with DNA-tetrahedra nanostructures, increased hepatoma permeation by 50 %. Incorporation of a GFP-encoding lentivirus vector inside the tumor-targeting pH-stimulated miRNA-triggered and Alpha-fetoprotein-dictated microcapsules enables the demonstration of neoplasm selectivity, with approximately 5,000-, 8,000- and 50,000-fold more expression in the cancerous cells, respectively. The incorporation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in the gene vector promotes specific recognition of the immune-evading hepatoma by the COVID-19-analogous immune response, which leads to cytotoxic and inflammatory activity, mediated by serum components taken from vaccinated or recovered COVID-19 patients, resulting in effective elimination of the hepatoma (>85 % yield).     

On the Saint-Venant principle in the case of infinite energy

Estimates on the distribution of the elastic energy in a cylindrical domain in the context of linear elasticity are obtained. The estimates remain valid when the total elastic energy is infinite, and they can be used to establish Saint-Venant's principle without an assumption about finiteness of the total energy.Examples of boundary conditions resulting in infinite energy are constructed in the context of both linear elastostatics and special finite elastostatics, where a quadratic strain energy density function is assumed. The examples show that estimates of the type obtained are sometimes necessary.The results obtained are valid with obvious modifications in a space of any dimension n2.The results in this paper represent a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Tel Aviv University by Y.S. under the guidance of J.J.R.     

Characterization of an orphan Ra–Be neutron source

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - An orphan radium-beryllium (Ra–Be) neutron source (Nuclear Chicago Corporation) detected inside a scrap metal shipping container, was seized...