An EGF-pseudomonas exotoxin A recombinant protein with a deletion in toxin binding domain specifically kills EGF receptor bearing cells

We constructed two chimeric toxins; one composed of epidermalgrowth factor (EGF) and pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE), designatedEGF-PE and the other composed of EGF and PE with a deletionof the Ia domain (cell-binding domain), designated EGF-PE (Ia).Both chimeric toxins reacted with anti-EGF and anti-PE antibodies.The cell-killing experiments showed that EGF-PE, but not EGF-PE(Ia),was cytotoxic to the murine fibroblast cell line NR6, whichcarried the PE receptor, but not the EGF receptor. However,after NR6 was transfected with DNA for the expression of humanEGF receptor, the transfected cell line, designated NRHER5,overexpressed human EGF receptors and became sensitive to EGF-PE(IA).The cytotoxicity of EGF-PE(Ia), but not EGF-PE, to NRHER5 canbe completely blocked by an excess amount of EGF. To completelyreverse the cytotoxicity of EGF-PE on NRHER5, both the EGF receptorpathway and the PE receptor pathway need to be blocked. Theseresults suggest that EGF-PE exhibits both EGF and PE bindingactivities, while EGF-PE(IA) possesses only EGF binding activity.Thus, EGF-PE(Ia) may be a better chimeric toxin than EGF-PEin terms of target specificity to EGF receptor bearing cells.We, therefore, examined the cytotoxicity of EGF-PE(Ia) to varioushuman cancer cell lines. We find that human cancer cells containingmore EGF receptors are more sensitive to EGF-PE(Ia).     

Inclusion of third-person perspective in CAVE-like immersive 3D virtual reality role-playing games for social reciprocity training of children with an autism spectrum disorder

Universal Access in the Information Society - The present study aimed to improve the ability of children with autism to recognize emotions correctly. We used our third-person perspective...     

On a novel press system with six links for precision deep drawing

The objective of this paper is to propose a novel press system with six links for precision deep drawing, and verify its feasibility. First, the system is presented and its advantages are discussed. Then, the kinematic analysis of the system is obtained by examining the geometry of the design. Moreover, kinematic dimensions of the variable coupling are found by using optimization method. Furthermore, the proposed approach is illustrated by a design example, its solid model for the proposed design is established, and then kinematic simulation is performed by ADAMS software. Finally, a prototype and an experimental setup are established, and the experiment is conducted. The results show that the proposed new mechanism is feasible and of reasonable accuracy. In addition, it has the advantages of easy manufacture, lower cost, higher precision, and easy adjustability.     

The preferences toward constructivist Internet-based learning environments among university students in Taiwan

Numerous educators have proposed the development of constructivist Internet-based learning environments for students. When creating the constructivist Internet-based learning environments, it is important for researchers to be aware of students’ preferences toward these environments. Through gathering data from 659 university students in Taiwan, this study developed a questionnaire to assess students’ preferences toward constructivist Internet-based learning environments. The questionnaire, with adequate validity and reliability, included 34 items on the following seven scales: relevance, multiple sources (and interpretations), challenge, student negotiation, cognitive apprenticeship, reflective thinking and epistemological awareness. The questionnaire responses revealed that male students tended to prefer the Internet-based learning environments where they could solve challenging problems, acquire cognitive apprenticeship and guidance from experts, and promote epistemological development than did female students. The findings also suggested that, if educators intend to develop Internet-based learning environments for more academically advanced students, such as graduate students, care should be taken to create more opportunities for them to negotiate ideas, obtain proper guidance, reflect their own thoughts, and explore epistemological issues. Finally, students with more Internet experiences tended to demand more on many features of the constructivist Internet-based learning environments than those with less Internet experiences.     

Utilize bootstrap in small data set learning for pilot run modeling of manufacturing systems

If the production process, production equipment, or material changes, it becomes necessary to execute pilot runs before mass production in manufacturing systems. Using the limited data obtained from pilot runs to shorten the lead time to predict future production is this worthy of study. Although, artificial neural networks are widely utilized to extract management knowledge from acquired data, sufficient training data is the fundamental assumption. Unfortunately, this is often not achievable for pilot runs because there are few data obtained during trial stages and theoretically this means that the knowledge obtained is fragile. The purpose of this research is to utilize bootstrap to generate virtual samples to fill the information gaps of sparse data. The results of this research indicate that the prediction error rate can be significantly decreased by applying the proposed method to a very small data set.     

Lengthening kinetics of (01\bar 10) γ-TiH precipitates in α-Ti in the temperature range of 25 °c to 80 °c

Formation of y hydrides in α titanium involves a hcp → fct lattice transformation with hydrogen as an interstitial diffusing species. Since the crystallography of this reaction resembles that of a martensitic transformation and the hydrides form at temperatures where both titanium and hydrogen atoms may have negligible mobility, many investigators have concluded that γ hydrides form by a martensitic mechanism. In this study, the lengthening kinetics of γ hydrides were determined using conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The length of the hydrides was measured as a function of time, temperature, and hydrogen concentration in samples isothermally aged in the range of 25 °C to 80 °C. These measurements were compared with the Zener-Hillert model of volume-diffusion-controlled precipitate growth. The experimental results indicate that y hydride growth is diffusionally controlled at 25 °C and possibly interfacially controlled at aging temperatures of 50 °C and higher. These and other aspects of the transformation are discussed.     

A new carbon structure in annealed film coatings of the carbon–lead system

Carbon–lead solid solutions coexisting with amorphous carbon have been obtained for the first time in a film coating deposited by ion-plasma sputtering. During subsequent vacuum annealing of carbon–lead films containing more than 68.5 at % Pb, this element almost completely evaporates to leave an amorphous carbon coating on a substrate. During annealing at 1100°C, this amorphous carbon crystallizes into a new hexagonal lattice with unit cell parameters a = 0.7603 nm and c = 0.8168 nm. Characteristic X-ray diffraction data for the identification of this phase are determined.

     

The research on mechanism of color management system based on iCAM color appearance model

Since color recording and color representing abilities of various media are very different, color information is often lost or misrepresented in the process of image transmission and reproduction. A Color Management System (CMS) based on iCAM color appearance model is presented in this paper. It can be used either in computer operation system software or application software for obtaining color consistency across different software applications, imaging devices, imaging media and viewing conditions.