Nematic and Polar order in Active Filament Solutions

Using a microscopic model of interacting polar biofilaments and motor proteins, we characterize the phase diagram of both homogeneous and inhomogeneous states in terms of experimental parameters. The polarity of motor clusters is key in determining the organization of the filaments in homogeneous isotropic, polarized and nematic states, while motor-induced bundling yields spatially inhomogeneous structures.Comment: 4 pages. 3 figure

Pattern formation driven by nematic ordering of assembling biopolymers

The biopolymers actin and microtubules are often in an ongoing assembling/disassembling state far from thermal equilibrium. Above a critical density this leads to spatially periodic patterns, as shown by a scaling argument and in terms of a phenomenological continuum model, that meets also Onsager's statistical theory of the nematic--to--isotropic transition in the absence of reaction kinetics. This pattern forming process depends much on nonlinear effects and a common linear stability analysis of the isotropic distribution of the filaments is often misleading. The wave number of the pattern decreases with the assembling/disassembling rate and there is an uncommon discontinuous transition between the nematic and the periodic state.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

VLBI measurements for time transfer between time and frequency laboratories

In the usual geodetic VLBI analysis, clock offsets and their rates of change at participating stations except for the reference station are estimated. The averaged formal error (1σ) of the clock offsets is typically about 20 picoseconds in the geodetic VLBI experiments regularly conducted by the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS). This accuracy is better than other techniques like GPS time transfer and TWSTFT (Two-way Satellite Time and Frequency Transfer) which are used to maintain Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). It will become possible to use the geodetic VLBI technique for accurate time transfer if we can collocate the VLBI radio telescopes at Time and Frequency laboratories. For this purpose, we started to develop a compact and transportable VLBI system. In this study, to confirm the potential of VLBI time transfer aiming at the practical use of VLBI time transfer in the future, we compared the results of VLBI time transfer and the results of GPS time transfer (Carrier Phase) by using Kashima-Koganei baseline (109 km). The averaged formal error (1σ) of the clock offsets when they are estimated every one hour was 29 picoseconds. The results of VLBI time transfer were consistent with the results of GPS time transfer. The difference of both results was about ±500 picoseconds and it is considered to be dominated by the uncertainty of the GPS time transfer. In terms of frequency stability, the Allan deviation was evaluated and it showed that VLBI time transfer is more stable than GPS time transfer in the time range from 2000 seconds to 60000 seconds. Based on these results, we will discuss about the possible improvements to the time transfer between Time and Frequency laboratories by collocating the compact VLBI system at the laboratorie

IAPP aggregation and cellular toxicity are inhibited by 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose

The polyphenol, 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose (PGG) has been found to exhibit a host of positive pharmacologic activities, including anti-cancer and anti-diabetic. Little is known about the mode of action of PGG in yielding these positive activities. We show here that PGG is a potent inhibitor of IAPP (islet amyloid polypeptide, amylin) aggregation. Preventing the initial aggregation event of IAPP is one strategy for slowing, and possibly preventing, the toxic effects of IAPP oligomeric intermediates. Equal molar ratios of PGG to IAPP substantially reduced the ability of IAPP to bind thioflavin T. Atomic force microscopy revealed that PGG prevented amyloid-based fiber formation under rigorous conditions conducive to forming IAPP aggregates. PGG was also found to protect PC12 rat cells from toxic IAPP. PGG was compared to the known amyloid inhibitors (and structural relatives); tannic acid and gallic acid. In every test, PGG was far superior to tannic and gallic acids at inhibiting amyloid aggregation. These results indicate that PGG is a potent inhibitor of IAPP amyloid aggregation and a potential lead molecule for development of an amyloid inhibiting therapeutic