2,084 research outputs found
Mechanics of collective unfolding
Mechanically induced unfolding of passive crosslinkers is a fundamental
biological phenomenon encountered across the scales from individual
macro-molecules to cytoskeletal actin networks. In this paper we study a
conceptual model of athermal load-induced unfolding and use a minimalistic
setting allowing one to emphasize the role of long-range interactions while
maintaining full analytical transparency. Our model can be viewed as a
description of a parallel bundle of N bistable units confined between two
shared rigid backbones that are loaded through a series spring. We show that
the ground states in this model correspond to synchronized, single phase
configurations where all individual units are either folded or unfolded. We
then study the fine structure of the wiggly energy landscape along the reaction
coordinate linking the two coherent states and describing the optimal mechanism
of cooperative unfolding. Quite remarkably, our study shows the fundamental
difference in the size and structure of the folding-unfolding energy barriers
in the hard (fixed displacements) and soft (fixed forces) loading devices which
persists in the continuum limit. We argue that both, the synchronization and
the non-equivalence of the mechanical responses in hard and soft devices, have
their origin in the dominance of long-range interactions. We then apply our
minimal model to skeletal muscles where the power-stroke in acto-myosin
crossbridges can be interpreted as passive folding. A quantitative analysis of
the muscle model shows that the relative rigidity of myosin backbone provides
the long-range interaction mechanism allowing the system to effectively
synchronize the power-stroke in individual crossbridges even in the presence of
thermal fluctuations. In view of the prototypical nature of the proposed model,
our general conclusions pertain to a variety of other biological systems where
elastic interactions are mediated by effective backbones
Blind fluorescence structured illumination microscopy: A new reconstruction strategy
In this communication, a fast reconstruction algorithm is proposed for
fluorescence \textit{blind} structured illumination microscopy (SIM) under the
sample positivity constraint. This new algorithm is by far simpler and faster
than existing solutions, paving the way to 3D and/or real-time 2D
reconstruction.Comment: submitted to IEEE ICIP 201
Internal Dust Correction Factors for Star Formation Rates Derived for Dusty \HII Regions and Starburst Galaxies
Star formation rates in galaxies are frequently estimated using the Balmer
line fluxes. However, these can be systematically underestimated because dust
competes for the absorption of Lyman continuum photons in the ionized gas. Here
we present theoretical correction factors in a simple analytic form. T These
factors scale as the product of the ionization parameter, , and the
nebular O/H abundance ratio, both of which can now be derived from the
observation of bright nebular line ratios. The correction factors are only
somewhat dependent upon the photoelectron production by grains, but are very
sensitive to the presence of complex PAH-like carbonaceous molecules in the
ionized gas, providing that these can survive in such an environment.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figures, Accepted for publication in ApJ. (Feb 1, 2003
The rotational velocity of low-mass stars in the Pleiades
We present new vsini measurements for 235 low-mass stars in the Pleiades. The
differential rotational broadening has been resolved for all the stars in our
sample. These results, combined with previously published measurements, provide
a complete and unbiased rotation data set for stars in the mass range from 0.6
to 1.2 Msol. Applying a numerical inversion technique on the vsini
distributions, we derive the distributions of velocities for low-mass Pleiades
members. Comparison of the rotational distributions of low-mass members between
IC 2602/2391 and the Pleiades suggests that G dwarfs behave like solid-bodies
and follow Skumanich's law during this time span. However, comparison between
Pleiades and older clusters (M34 and Hyades) indicates that the braking of slow
rotators on the early main sequence is weaker than predicted by an asymptotical
Skumanich's law. This strongly supports the view that angular momentum tapped
in the radiative core of slow rotators on the zero age main sequence (ZAMS)
resurfaces into the convective envelope between Pleiades and Hyades age. For
the G-dwarfs, we derive a characteristic coupling time scale between the core
and the envelope of about 100--200Myr. The relationship between rotation and
coronal activity in the Pleiades is in agreement with previous observations in
other clusters and field stars. We show that the Rossby diagram provides an
excellent description of the X-ray activity for all stars in the mass domain
studied. The Pleiades data for slow and moderate rotators fills the gap between
the X-ray--rotation correlation found for slow rotators and the X-ray
``saturation plateau'' observed for young fast rotators.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysics Main Journa
Multiple-Bridged Bis-Tetrathiafulvalenes: New Synthetic Protocols and Spectroelectrochemical Investigations
Synthetic strategies for preparing dimeric tetrathiafulvalenes (TTFs) linked by either one, two, or four bridges have been developed. In particular, we report efficient few-step protocols for the preparation of face-to-face overlapped quadruple-bridged bis-TTFs. The ready interconversion of cis and trans TTFs in the presence of catalytic amounts of acid was implemented in one synthetic protocol as a way to control the isomeric outcome. The compounds were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. Moreover, the X-ray crystal structure of the macrocycle 4b is presented and compared to semiempirical (PM3) geometry optimizations. Cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry were used to describe the interactions established between two TTF units upon oxidation, that is, their ability to form mixed-valence complexes and π-dimers either intra- or intermolecularly. The length, flexibility, and number of bridging units in a bis-TTF, as well as the specific TTF positions being connected, determine the extent of these interactions. Thus, rigid linkers enhance the formation of intermolecular mixed-valence complexes. For 4b, the absorption spectrum of this mixed-valence state of TTF in solution has been recorded for the first time. Finally, preliminary complexation experiments with different electron-deficient molecules are described
The [CII] 158 um Line Deficit in Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies Revisited
We present a study of the [CII] 157.74 um fine-structure line in a sample of
15 ultraluminous infrared (IR) galaxies (L_IR>10^12 Lsun; ULIRGs) using the
Long Wavelength Spectrometer (LWS) on the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). We
confirm the observed order of magnitude deficit (compared to normal and
starburst galaxies) in the strength of the [CII] line relative to the far-IR
dust continuum emission found in our initial report (Luhman et al. 1998), but
here with a sample that is twice as large. This result suggests that the
deficit is a general phenomenon affecting 4/5 ULIRGs. We present an analysis
using observations of generally acknowledged photodissociation region (PDR)
tracers ([CII], [OI] 63 and 145 um, and FIR continuum emission), which suggests
that a high UV flux G_o incident on a moderate density n PDR could explain the
deficit. However, comparisons with other ULIRG observations, including CO
(1-0), [CI] (1-0), and 6.2 um polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission,
suggest that high G_o/n PDRs alone cannot produce a self-consistent solution
that is compatible with all of the observations. We propose that non-PDR
contributions to the FIR continuum can explain the apparent [CII] deficiency.
Here, unusually high G_o and/or n physical conditions in ULIRGs as compared to
those in normal and starburst galaxies are not required to explain the [CII]
deficit. Dust-bounded photoionization regions, which generate much of the FIR
emission but do not contribute significant [CII] emission, offer one possible
physical origin for this additional non-PDR component. Such environments may
also contribute to the observed suppression of FIR fine-structure emission from
ionized gas and PAHs, as well as the warmer FIR colors found in ULIRGs. The
implications for observations at higher redshifts are also revisited.Comment: to be published in The Astrophysical Journal, 58 page
On the missing 2175 Angstroem-bump in the Calzetti extinction curve
The aim of the paper is to give a physical explanation of the absence of the
feature in the Calzetti extinction curve. We analyze the dust attenuation of a
homogeneous source seen through a distant inhomogeneous distant screen. The
inhomogeneities are described through an idealized isothermal turbulent medium
where the probability distribution function (PDF) of the column density is
log-normal. In addition it is assumed that below a certain critical column
density the carriers of the extinction bump at 2175 Angstroem are being
destroyed by the ambient UV radiation field. Turbulence is found to be a
natural explanation not only of the flatter curvature of the Calzetti
extinction curve but also of the missing bump provided the critical column
density is N_H >= 10^21 cm^-2. The density contrast needed to explain both
characteristics is well consistent with the Mach number of the cold neutral
medium of our own Galaxy which suggests a density contrast sigma_(rho/) 6.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures accepted for publication in A&A, section
Structural modulation of internal charge transfer in small molecular donors for organic solar cells
Donor-acceptor molecules with small chain extension have been synthesized and used as active material in organic solar cells. The effect of fusion of a phenyl group on the end dicyanovinylene acceptor is discussed
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