A Systemic Receptor Network Triggered by Human cytomegalovirus Entry

Virus entry is a multistep process that triggers a variety of cellular pathways interconnecting into a complex network, yet the molecular complexity of this network remains largely unsolved. Here, by employing systems biology approach, we reveal a systemic virus-entry network initiated by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a widespread opportunistic pathogen. This network contains all known interactions and functional modules (i.e. groups of proteins) coordinately responding to HCMV entry. The number of both genes and functional modules activated in this network dramatically declines shortly, within 25 min post-infection. While modules annotated as receptor system, ion transport, and immune response are continuously activated during the entire process of HCMV entry, those for cell adhesion and skeletal movement are specifically activated during viral early attachment, and those for immune response during virus entry. HCMV entry requires a complex receptor network involving different cellular components, comprising not only cell surface receptors, but also pathway components in signal transduction, skeletal development, immune response, endocytosis, ion transport, macromolecule metabolism and chromatin remodeling. Interestingly, genes that function in chromatin remodeling are the most abundant in this receptor system, suggesting that global modulation of transcriptions is one of the most important events in HCMV entry. Results of in silico knock out further reveal that this entire receptor network is primarily controlled by multiple elements, such as EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor) and SLC10A1 (sodium/bile acid cotransporter family, member 1). Thus, our results demonstrate that a complex systemic network, in which components coordinating efficiently in time and space contributes to virus entry.Comment: 26 page

Low field phase diagram of spin-Hall effect in the mesoscopic regime

When a mesoscopic two dimensional four-terminal Hall cross-bar with Rashba and/or Dresselhaus spin-orbit interaction (SOI) is subjected to a perpendicular uniform magnetic field $B$, both integer quantum Hall effect (IQHE) and mesoscopic spin-Hall effect (MSHE) may exist when disorder strength $W$ in the sample is weak. We have calculated the low field "phase diagram" of MSHE in the $(B,W)$ plane for disordered samples in the IQHE regime. For weak disorder, MSHE conductance $G_{sH}$ and its fluctuations $rms(G_{SH})$ vanish identically on even numbered IQHE plateaus, they have finite values on those odd numbered plateaus induced by SOI, and they have values $G_{SH}=1/2$ and $rms(G_{SH})=0$ on those odd numbered plateaus induced by Zeeman energy. For moderate disorder, the system crosses over into a regime where both $G_{sH}$ and $rms(G_{SH})$ are finite. A larger disorder drives the system into a chaotic regime where $G_{sH}=0$ while $rms(G_{SH})$ is finite. Finally at large disorder both $G_{sH}$ and $rms(G_{SH})$ vanish. We present the physics behind this ``phase diagram".Comment: 4 page, 3 figure

Computer-aided modeling and prediction of performance of the modified Lundell class of alternators in space station solar dynamic power systems

The main purpose of this project is the development of computer-aided models for purposes of studying the effects of various design changes on the parameters and performance characteristics of the modified Lundell class of alternators (MLA) as components of a solar dynamic power system supplying electric energy needs in the forthcoming space station. Key to this modeling effort is the computation of magnetic field distribution in MLAs. Since the nature of the magnetic field is three-dimensional, the first step in the investigation was to apply the finite element method to discretize volume, using the tetrahedron as the basic 3-D element. Details of the stator 3-D finite element grid are given. A preliminary look at the early stage of a 3-D rotor grid is presented

Furstenberg sets estimate in the plane

We fully resolve the Furstenberg set conjecture in $\mathbb{R}^2$, that a $(s, t)$-Furstenberg set has Hausdorff dimension $\ge \min(s+t, \frac{s+3t}{2}, s+1)$. As a result, we obtain an analogue of Elekes' bound for the discretized sum-product problem and resolve an orthogonal projection question of Oberlin.Comment: 23 page