Concurrent multiresponse non-linear screening: Robust profiling of webpage performance

Profiling engineered data with robust mining methods continues attracting attention in knowledge engineering systems. The purpose of this article is to propose a simple technique that deals with non-linear multi-factorial multi-characteristic screening suitable for knowledge discovery studies. The method is designed to proactively seek and quantify significant information content in engineered mini-datasets. This is achieved by deploying replicated fractional-factorial sampling schemes. Compiled multi-response data are converted to a single master-response effectuated by a series of distribution-free transformations and multi-compressed data fusions. The resulting amalgamated master response is deciphered by non-linear multi-factorial stealth stochastics intended for saturated schemes. The stealth properties of our method target processing datasets which might be overwhelmed by a lack of knowledge about the nature of reference distributions at play. Stealth features are triggered to overcome restrictions regarding the data normality conformance, the effect sparsity assumption and the inherent collapse of the ‘unexplainable error’ connotation in saturated arrays. The technique is showcased by profiling four ordinary controlling factors that influence webpage content performance by collecting data from a commercial browser monitoring service on a large scale web host. The examined effects are: (1) the number of Cascading Style Sheets files, (2) the number of JavaScript files, (3) the number of Image files, and (4) the Domain Name System Aliasing. The webpage performance level was screened against three popular characteristics: (1) the time to first visual, (2) the total loading time, and (3) the customer satisfaction. Our robust multi-response data mining technique is elucidated for a ten-replicate run study dictated by an L₉(3⁴) orthogonal array scheme where any uncontrolled noise embedded contribution has not been necessarily excluded.     

Guanidine‐Based Polymer Brushes Grafted onto Silica Nanoparticles as Efficient Artificial Phosphodiesterases

Polymer brushes grafted to the surface of silica nanoparticles were fabricated by atom‐transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and investigated as catalysts in the cleavage of phosphodiesters. The surfaces of silica nanoparticles were functionalized with an ATRP initiator. Surface‐initiated ATRP reactions, in varying proportions, of a methacrylate moiety functionalized with a phenylguanidine moiety and an inert hydrophilic methacrylate species afforded hybrid nanoparticles that were characterized with potentiometric titrations, thermogravimetric analysis, and SEM. The activity of the hybrid nanoparticles was tested in the transesterification of the RNA model compound 2‐hydroxypropyl para‐nitrophenylphosphate (HPNP) and diribonucleoside monophosphates. A high catalytic efficiency and a remarkable effective molarity, thus overcoming the effective molarities previously observed for comparable systems, indicate the existence of an effective cooperation of the guanidine/guanidinium units and a high level of preorganization in the nanostructure. The investigated system also exhibits a marked and unprecedented selectivity for the diribonucleoside sequence CpA. The results presented open up the way for a novel and straightforward strategy for the preparation of supramolecular catalysts.     

SIMS as a subnanometer probe: A new tool for chemical profile analysis of grafted molecules

The complexity of modern engineered surfaces requires the development of very powerful methods to analyze and characterize them. We demonstrate that it is possible to obtain chemical information about the skeleton of organic molecules constituting SAMs grafted on a silicon surface by using a new type of SIMS method. A profile can be achieved by the investigation of the temporal variation of secondary ion intensities that correspond to the fractional parts of the molecule constituting the SAMs. The equivalent ablation rate is less than 0.5 nm/min.     

Quantitative Depth Profiling of K-Doped Fullerene Films Using XPS and SIMS

 Phenomena accompanying electrochemical doping of solid fullerene films with potassium were studied by sputter ion depth profiling (XPS and SIMS). The potassium distribution was determined, and artifacts associated with possible damage of the layer composition caused by ion impact were investigated and discussed. To compare the charge transfer while reductive doping is taking place at fullerene/solution interface with doping from gas phase, model layers were prepared and doped by potassium under UHV conditions. It was found that sputtering by Ar⁺ primary ions yields both accurate information on the alkaline metal distribution and on its concentration. Sputtering by O⁺ ions led to an enrichment of potassium, apparently due to the reactivity of oxygen with the fullerene matrix. It is shown that the reductive doping starts at the fullerene/solution interface. The concentration of potassium in the doped films was found to be lower than expected from the charge transferred during the electrochemical reduction. Other phase transformations such as hydrogenation are discussed. Received March 4, 2002; accepted July 26, 2002     

猪传染性胃肠炎病毒聚合酶基因反义RNA对病毒的抑制作用

通过PCR扩增出猪传染性胃肠炎病毒(TGEV)聚合酶部分片段,反向插入逆转录病毒表达载体pLXSN中,用脂质体法将重组质粒plxas-pol转染PA317细胞,经抗生素G418筛选出稳定的产毒细胞克隆,分别扩大培养后,取其上清液感染小鼠成纤维细胞NIH3T3,细胞克隆产生的重组病毒效价达9.0×105CFU/mL。用高效价假病毒感染IBRS2细胞,再经抗生素G418筛选,提取细胞克隆总RNA,经RT-PCR证明plxas-pol整合入IBRS2细胞。以TGEV感染IBRS2细胞和具有抗性的IBRS2细胞所产生的细胞病变为指标,证明该反义RNA对病毒有明显抑制作用,抑制率约为80%。用2×103和4×102TCID50/mL剂量的TGEV感染时,引起细胞死亡的时间分别为21 h和27 h,与对照组相比,抗性细胞系可明显延迟因病毒感染引起细胞死亡的时间。     

一种新颖的测定和分析羟自由基氧化损伤RNA及其分子机理的化学发光体系

近年来，羟自由基（^.OH)对DNA氧化损伤已受到广泛关注，但是很少研究^.OH对RNA的氧化损伤。其实，RNA与DNA一样，也是核酸的两大组分之一，也有许多重要功能。所以^.OH攻击RNA也会引起重后果，会造成细胞功能衰退甚至细胞死亡等。为此，我们建立了Vit.C-CuSO4-Phen-H2O2-PNA这一产生和测定^.OH氧化损伤RNA的化学发光体系，以便加强^.OH氧化损伤RNA的研究。通过对本体系测定条件的研究，得出了本体系最佳组方是：Vit.C,CuSO4,Phen,H2O2和RNA，浓度分别为350μmol/L,55μmol/L,350μmol/L,0.2mol/L和20μg/mL,体系pH为5．5，体系终体积为1mL。随后，利用本体系检测了槲皮素，咖啡酸，黄芩甙和芦丁抗^.OH氧化损伤RNA的作用，发现这四种抗氧化剂均能有效抑制^.OH氧化损伤RNA的分子机理，结果发现，^.OH清除剂硫脲几乎抑制全部发光，推测是因硫脲清除了引发剂^.OH所致；O^-.2清除剂SOD只能抑制小部分发光；^1O2清除剂叠氮化钠和苯甲酸都能抑制绝大部分发光。这些事实提示，^.OH是RNA氧化损伤的引发剂；O^-.2只是导致RNA氧化损伤的次要因素，^1O2才是导致RNA氧化损伤的最主要因素。     

Transesterification of an RNA model in buffer solutions in H2O and D2O

Transesterification of a phosphodiester bond of RNA models has been studied in various buffer solutions, under neutral and slightly alkaline conditions in H₂O and D₂O. The results show that imidazole is the only buffer system where a clear buffer catalysis on the cleavage of a phosphodiester bond is observed. The rate enhancement in sulphonic acid buffers is smaller, and a sulphonate base, particularly, is inactive as a catalyst. The rate‐enhancing effect of imidazole is, however, catalytic, and the catalytic inactivity of sulphonate buffers can be attributed to their structure and/or charge. The catalysis by imidazole is a complex system which, in addition to first‐order reactions, involves a process that shows a second‐order dependence in imidazole concentration. The latter reaction becomes significant in acidic imidazole buffers (pH < pK_a), as the buffer concentration increases. The kinetic solvent deuterium isotope effect k_H/k_D, referring to first‐order catalysis by imidazole base, is 2.3 ± 0.3. That referring to second‐order catalysis is most probably much larger, but an accurate value could not be obtained. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.