19,673 research outputs found
Tukushi modulates Xnr2, FGF, and and BMP signalling: Regulation of Xenopus Germ Layer Formation
BACKGROUND: Cell-cell communication is essential in tissue patterning. In early amphibian development, mesoderm is formed in the blastula-stage embryo through inductive interactions in which vegetal cells act on overlying equatorial cells. Members of the TGF-beta family such as activin B, Vg1, derrière and Xenopus nodal-related proteins (Xnrs) are candidate mesoderm inducing factors, with further activity to induce endoderm of the vegetal region. TGF-beta-like ligands, including BMP, are also responsible for patterning of germ layers. In addition, FGF signaling is essential for mesoderm formation whereas FGF signal inhibition has been implicated in endoderm induction. Clearly, several signaling pathways are coordinated to produce an appropriate developmental output; although intracellular crosstalk is known to integrate multiple pathways, relatively little is known about extracellular coordination. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we show that Xenopus Tsukushi (X-TSK), a member of the secreted small leucine rich repeat proteoglycan (SLRP) family, is expressed in ectoderm, endoderm, and the organizer during early development. We have previously reported that X-TSK binds to and inhibits BMP signaling in cooperation with chordin. We now demonstrate two novel interactions: X-TSK binds to and inhibits signaling by FGF8b, in addition to binding to and enhancement of Xnr2 signaling. This signal integration by X-TSK at the extracellular level has an important role in germ layer formation and patterning. Vegetally localized X-TSK potentiates endoderm formation through coordination of BMP, FGF and Xnr2 signaling. In contrast, X-TSK inhibition of FGF-MAPK signaling blocks ventrolateral mesoderm formation, while BMP inhibition enhances organizer formation. These actions of X-TSK are reliant upon its expression in endoderm and dorsal mesoderm, with relative exclusion from ventrolateral mesoderm, in a pattern shaped by FGF signals. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Based on our observations, we propose a novel mechanism by which X-TSK refines the field of positional information by integration of multiple pathways in the extracellular space
Dirac quantization of a nonminimal gauged O(3) sigma model
The (2+1) dimensional gauged O(3) nonlinear sigma model with Chern-Simons
term is canonically quantized. Furthermore, we study a nonminimal coupling in
this model implemented by means of a Pauli-type term. It is shown that the set
of constraints of the model is modified by the introduction of the Pauli
coupling. Moreover, we found that the quantum commutator relations in the
nominimal case is independent of the Chern-Simons coefficient, in contrast to
the minimal one.Comment: 7 pages, to appear in Modern Physics Letters
Decoherence of tripartite states - a trapped ion coupled to an optical cavity
We investigate the non-dissipative decoherence of three qubit system obtained
by manipulating the state of a trapped two-level ion coupled to an optical
cavity. Modelling the environment as a set of noninteracting harmonic
oscillators, analytical expressions for the state operator of tripartite
composite system, the probability of generating maximally entangled GHZ state,
and the population inversion have been obtained. The pointer observable is the
energy of the isolated quantum system. Coupling to environment results in
exponential decay of off diagonal matrix elements of the state operator with
time as well as a phase decoherence of the component states.
Numerical calculations to examine the time evolution of GHZ state generation
probability and population inversion for different system environment coupling
strengths are performed. Using negativity as an entanglement measure and linear
entropy as a measure of mixedness, the entanglement dynamics of the tripartite
system in the presence of decoherence is analysed.Comment: Revised version, errors corrected and references added. 12 pages, 6
figures, Presented at ICSSUR May 2005, Besancon, Franc
SIFT applied to CBIR
Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) is a challenging task. Common approaches use only low-level features. Notwithstanding, such CBIR solutions fail on capturing some local features representing the details and nuances of scenes. Many techniques in image processing and computer vision can capture these scene semantics. Among them, the Scale Invariant Features Transform~(SIFT) has been widely used in a lot of applications. This approach relies on the choice of several parameters which directly impact its effectiveness when applied to retrieve images. In this paper, we discuss the results obtained in several experiments proposed to evaluate the application of the SIFT in CBIR tasks
Universal quantum signature of mixed dynamics in antidot lattices
We investigate phase coherent ballistic transport through antidot lattices in
the generic case where the classical phase space has both regular and chaotic
components. It is shown that the conductivity fluctuations have a non-Gaussian
distribution, and that their moments have a power-law dependence on a
semiclassical parameter, with fractional exponents. These exponents are
obtained from bifurcating periodic orbits in the semiclassical approximation.
They are universal in situations where sufficiently long orbits contribute.Comment: 7 page
On the Infrared Behavior of the Pressure in Thermal Field Theories
We study non-perturbatively, via the Schwinger-Dyson equations, the leading
infrared behavior of the pressure in the ladder approximation. This problem is
discussed firstly in the context of a thermal scalar field theory, and the
analysis is then extended to the Yang-Mills theory at high temperatures. Using
the Feynman gauge, we find a system of two coupled integral equations for the
gluon and ghost self-energies, which is solved analytically. The solutions of
these equations show that the contributions to the pressure, when calculated in
the ladder approximation, are finite in the infrared domain.Comment: 20 pages plus 4 figures available by request, IFUSP/P-100
A web server for interactive and zoomable Chaos Game Representation images
Chaos Game Representation (CGR) is a generalized scale-independent Markov transition table, which is useful for the visualization and comparative study of genomic signature, or for the study of characteristic sequence motifs. However, in order to fully utilize the scale-independent properties of CGR, it should be accessible through scale-independent user interface instead of static images. Here we describe a web server and Perl library for generating zoomable CGR images utilizing Google Maps API, which is also easily searchable for specific motifs. The web server is freely accessible at , and the Perl library as well as the source code is distributed with the G-language Genome Analysis Environment under GNU General Public License
Fluxtube model atmospheres and Stokes V zero-crossing wavelengths
First results of the inversion of Stokes I and V profiles from plage regions
near disk center are presented. Both low and high spatial resolution spectra of
FeI 6301.5 and FeI 6302.5 A obtained with the Advanced Stokes Polarimeter (ASP)
have been considered for analysis. The thin flux tube approximation,
implemented in an LTE inversion code based on response functions, is used to
describe unresolved magnetic elements. The code allows the simultaneous and
consistent inference of all atmospheric quantities determining the radiative
transfer with the sole assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. By considering
velocity gradients within the tubes we are able to match the full ASP Stokes
profiles. The magnetic atmospheres derived from the inversion are characterized
by the absence of significant motions in high layers and strong velocity
gradients in deeper layers. These are essential to reproduce the asymmetries of
the observed profiles. Our scenario predicts a shift of the Stokes V
zero-crossing wavelengths which is indeed present in observations made with the
Fourier Transform Spectrometer.Comment: To appear in ApJ Letters (1997) (in press
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