Evaluation of the reliability of transport networks based on the stochastic flow of moving objects

In transport networks, human beings are moving objects whose moving direction is stochastic in emergency situations. Based on this idea, a new model—stochastic moving network (SMN) is proposed. It is different from binary-state networks and stochastic-flow networks. The flow of SMNs has multiple-saturated states, that correspond to different flow values in each arc. In this paper, we try to evaluate the system reliability, defined as the probability that the saturated flow of the network is not less than a given demand d. Based on this new model, we obtain the flow probability distribution of every arc by simulation. An algorithm based on the blocking cutset of the SMN is proposed to evaluate the network reliability. An example is used to show how to calculate the corresponding reliabilities for different given demands of the SMN. Simulation experiments of different size were made and the system reliability precision was calculated. The precision of simulation results also discussed.     

In situ hybridization of microcolonies using catalyzed reporter deposition with tetramethylbenzidine: a method for detecting low numbers of bacterial cells in drinking water

In this study, catalyzed reporter deposition in situ hybridization (CARD—ISH) with tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) was used for rapid detection of the food pathogens Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. The bacteria in a sample were concentrated by membrane filtration. The filter membranes with the cells thus removed were incubated on nutrient agar for 4–5 h to allow the formation of microcolonies. Instead of fluorescent tyramide, 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), which yields a blue precipitate, was used for signal amplification after in situ hybridization. Microcolonies amplified with TMB produced blue signals, which were sufficiently intense to allow visual evaluation either using a stereomicroscope, or even with the naked eye. Therefore even low cell numbers of hygienically critical bacteria can be detected on the filter membrane without a protracted examination. This enables the detection of low cell numbers (<10 cfu) in a sample of 100 ml tap water within 9–10 h.     

Microscopy of the Drosophila facet eye: vademecum for standardized fixation, embedding, and sectioning

We describe here a standardized method for histological processing of the Drosophila compound eye. Primary fixation with 2.5% glutaraldehyde, obligatorily supplemented with 0.1% household detergent regularly yielded the best structural preservation, as compared with that of other, more complicated fixation protocols tested. Notably, it proved indispensable not only to cut off the fly's head to facilitate the penetration of the reagents but also to open the chitinous head capsule. For this, we locally pierced the cuticle between the eyes, leaving the head structurally almost intact, a prerequisite for precisely aligning the head for microtomy. We developed a two-step re-embedding procedure allowing for exact and reproducible orientation of the fly heads. Thus, highly comparable series of cross sections through a representative number of ommatidia were obtained. The feasibility of our embedding and sectioning approach is finally demonstrated by three-dimensional reconstructions of the middle segments of the R1, R7, and R8 photoreceptor cells. We present reconstructions from structurally modified ommatidia, as seen after RNAi-mediated depletion of the endosomal adaptor protein p14, and from normal ommatidia corresponding to the wildtype.     

A discrete Petri net model for cephalostatin-induced apoptosis in leukemic cells

Understanding the mechanisms involved in apoptosis has been an area of extensive study due to its critical role in the development and homeostasis of multi-cellular organisms. Our special interest lies in understanding the apoptosis of tumor cells which is mediated by novel potential drugs. Cephalostatin 1 is a marine compound that can induce apoptosis in leukemic cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner even at nano-molar concentrations using a recently discovered pathway that excludes the receptor-mediated pathway and which includes both the mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum pathways (Dirsch et al., Cancer Res 63:8869–8876, 2003; López-Antón et al., J Biol Chem 28:33078–33086, 2006). In this paper, the methods and tools of Petri net theory are used to construct, analyze, and validate a discrete Petri net model for cephalostatin 1-induced apoptosis. Based on experimental results and literature search, we constructed a discrete Petri net consisting of 43 places and 59 transitions. Standard Petri net analysis techniques such as structural and invariant analyses and a recently developed modularity analysis technique using maximal abstract dependent transition sets (ADT sets) were employed. Results of these analyses revealed model consistency with known biological behavior. The sub-modules represented by the ADT sets were compared with the functional modules of apoptosis identified by Alberghina and Colangelo (BMC Neurosci 7(Suppl 1):S2, 2006).     

Synthesis and Characterization of Azido Plasticizer

In order to get a good compatibility with azidopolymers, plasticizers are required with a similar chemical structure. The energetic plasticizers EGBAA, DEGBAA, TMNTA and PETKAA were synthesized and characterized. They are liquid and the glass-transition temperatures are between −70.8°C and −34.1°C. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis shows an acceptable thermal stability for practical applications. The infrared spectrum shows distinctly the functional groups C-N₃, ester, carbonyl and nitrate. The elemental analysis and NMR agree with the molecular structures. As a practical example, EGBAA was combined with the energetic binder Poly Nimmo. The viscosity, glass-transition point and stability of 50% mixtures were investigated.     

Impact of Androgen Receptor Activity on Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Expression in Prostate Cancer Cells

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an essential molecular regulator of prostate cancer (PCa) progression coded by the FOLH1 gene. The PSMA protein has become an important factor in metastatic PCa diagnosis and radioligand therapy. However, low PSMA expression is suggested to be a resistance mechanism to PSMA-based imaging and therapy. Clinical studies revealed that androgen receptor (AR) inhibition increases PSMA expression. The mechanism has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of activation and inhibition of androgen signaling on PSMA expression levels in vitro and compared these findings with PSMA levels in PCa patients receiving systemic therapy. To this end, LAPC4, LNCaP, and C4-2 PCa cells were treated with various concentrations of the synthetic androgen R1881 and antiandrogens. Changes in FOLH1 mRNA were determined using qPCR. Open access databases were used for ChIP-Seq and tissue expression analysis. Changes in PSMA protein were determined using western blot. For PSMA staining in patients’ specimens, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed. Results revealed that treatment with the synthetic androgen R1881 led to decreased FOLH1 mRNA and PSMA protein. This effect was partially reversed by antiandrogen treatment. However, AR ChIP-Seq analysis revealed no canonical AR binding sites in the regulatory elements of the FOLH1 gene. IHC analysis indicated that androgen deprivation only resulted in increased PSMA expression in patients with low PSMA levels. The data demonstrate that AR activation and inhibition affects PSMA protein levels via a possible non-canonical mechanism. Moreover, analysis of PCa tissue reveals that low PSMA expression rates may be mandatory to increase PSMA by androgen deprivation.     

Steady state analysis of electronic circuits by cubic and exponential splines

Multitone Harmonic Balance (HB) is widely used for the simulation of the quasiperiodic steady state of RF circuits. HB is based on a Fourier expansion of the unknown waveforms and is state-of-the-art. Unfortunately, trigonometric polynomials exhibit poor convergence properties in cases where the signal is not quasi-sinusoidal which leads to a prohibitive run-time even for small circuits. Moreover, the approximation of sharp transients leads to the well-known Gibbs phenomenon, which cannot be reduced by an increase of Fourier coefficients. In this paper, we present an alternative approach based on alternatively cubic or exponential splines for a (quasi-) periodic steady state analysis. Unlike trigonometric basis function, a spline basis solves for a variational problem, i.e., the cubic spline minimizes the curvature. Because of their compact support, spline bases are better suited for waveforms with sharp transients. Furthermore, we show that the amount of work for coding of splines is negligible if an implementation of HB is available. In general, designers are mainly interested in spectra and not in waveforms. Therefore, a method for calculating the spectrum from a spline basis is derived too.     

Super connectivity of line graphs

The super connectivity κ^′ and the super edge-connectivity λ^′ are more refined network reliability indices than connectivity κ and edge-connectivity λ. This paper shows that for a connected graph G with order at least four rather than a star and its line graph L(G), κ^′(L(G))=λ^′(G) if and only if G is not super-λ^′. As a consequence, we obtain the result of Hellwig et al. [Note on the connectivity of line graphs, Inform. Process. Lett. 91 (2004) 7] that κ(L(G))=λ^′(G). Furthermore, the authors show that the line graph of a super-λ^′ graph is super-λ if the minimum degree is at least three.