A continuum model of lipid bilayers

We study a one-dimensional continuum model for lipid bilayers. The system consists of water and lipid molecules; lipid molecules are represented by two ‘beads’, a head bead and a tail bead, connected by a rigid rod. We derive a simplified model for such a system, in which we only take into account the effects of entropy and hydrophilic/hydrophobic interactions. We show that for this simple model membrane-like structures exist for certain choices of the parameters, and numerical calculations suggest that they are stable

Diffusive gradients in the PTS system

It has recently been conjectured that metabolic pathways with membrane-bound enzymes can give rise to concentration gradients in the cytosolic pathway components. We investigate this issue using a theoretical model for the Phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent Phosphotransferase system in {it E. coli/, for which accurate measurements of the kinetic parameters are available. We show that significant spatial gradients indeed exist, and we discuss the potential implications of this finding

First experiences with Personal Networks as an enabling platform for service providers

By developing demonstrators and performing small-scale user trials, we found various opportunities and pitfalls for deploying personal networks (PNs) on a commercial basis. The demonstrators were created using as many as possible legacy devices and proven technologies. They deal with applications in the health sector, home services, tourism, and the transportation sector. This paper describes the various architectures and our experiences with the end users and the technology. We conclude that context awareness, service discovery, and content management are very important in PNs and that a personal network provider role is necessary to realize these functions under the assumptions we made. The PNPay Travel demonstrator suggests that PN service platforms provide an opportunity to develop true trans-sector services

TRPV1: A Target for Next Generation Analgesics

Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a Ca2+ permeant non-selective cation channel expressed in a subpopulation of primary afferent neurons. TRPV1 is activated by physical and chemical stimuli. It is critical for the detection of nociceptive and thermal inflammatory pain as revealed by the deletion of the TRPV1 gene. TRPV1 is distributed in the peripheral and central terminals of the sensory neurons and plays a role in initiating action potentials at the nerve terminals and modulating neurotransmitter release at the first sensory synapse, respectively. Distribution of TRPV1 in the nerve terminals innervating blood vessels and in parts of the CNS that are not subjected to temperature range that is required to activate TRPV1 suggests a role beyond a noxious thermal sensor. Presently, TRPV1 is being considered as a target for analgesics through evaluation of different antagonists. Here, we will discuss the distribution and the functions of TRPV1, potential use of its agonists and antagonists as analgesics and highlight the functions that are not related to nociceptive transmission that might lead to adverse effects

Euler-Calogero-Moser system from SU(2) Yang-Mills theory

The relation between SU(2) Yang-Mills mechanics, originated from the 4-dimensional SU(2) Yang-Mills theory under the supposition of spatial homogeneity of the gauge fields, and the Euler-Calogero-Moser model is discussed in the framework of Hamiltonian reduction. Two kinds of reductions of the degrees of freedom are considered: due to the gauge invariance and due to the discrete symmetry. In the former case, it is shown that after elimination of the gauge degrees of freedom from the SU(2) Yang-Mills mechanics the resulting unconstrained system represents the ID_3 Euler-Calogero-Moser model with an external fourth-order potential. Whereas in the latter, the IA_6 Euler-Calogero-Moser model embedded in an external potential is derived whose projection onto the invariant submanifold through the discrete symmetry coincides again with the SU(2) Yang-Mills mechanics. Based on this connection, the equations of motion of the SU(2) Yang-Mills mechanics in the limit of the zero coupling constant are presented in the Lax form.Comment: Revtex, 14 pages, no figures. Abstract changed, strata analysis have been included, typos corrected, references adde

Donor states in modulation-doped Si/SiGe heterostructures

We present a unified approach for calculating the properties of shallow donors inside or outside heterostructure quantum wells. The method allows us to obtain not only the binding energies of all localized states of any symmetry, but also the energy width of the resonant states which may appear when a localized state becomes degenerate with the continuous quantum well subbands. The approach is non-variational, and we are therefore also able to evaluate the wave functions. This is used to calculate the optical absorption spectrum, which is strongly non-isotropic due to the selection rules. The results obtained from calculations for Si/Si$_{1-x}$Ge$_x$ quantum wells allow us to present the general behavior of the impurity states, as the donor position is varied from the center of the well to deep inside the barrier. The influence on the donor ground state from both the central-cell effect and the strain arising from the lattice mismatch is carefully considered.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure

Enforcing Security and Safety with Proof-Carrying Code

AbstractIn an environment where more and more code cannot be trusted to behave safety it is becoming necessary to employ mechanisms for detecting and preventing unsafe program behavior. This paper first reviews various such mechanisms and then focuses on static mechanisms with an emphasis on Proof-Carrying Code and its expressiveness.Proof-Carrying Code is a technique that allows a code receiver to verify statically that the code has certain required properties, which are stated in the form of a safety policy. To make this possible the code is accompanied by a representation of an easily checkable formal proof of compliance with the safety policy. This paper discusses first the general properties of the Proof-Carrying Code technique and then explores a particular implementation of the idea using verification condition generators. As a surprising result we prove that by adopting such an implementation choice we limit ourselves to safety properties, which constitute but a subset (albeit a very important one) of all the interesting program properties. We further speculate on what it takes to extend Proof-Carrying Code to handle more that safety properties

State of the art imaging in Meniere's disease. Tips and tricks for protocol and interpretation

Purpose of ReviewMeniere's disease (MD) is a burdensome and not well understood inner ear disorder that has received increasing attention of scientists over the past decade. Until 2007, a certain diagnosis of endolymphatic hydrops (EH) required post-mortem histology. Today, dedicated high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols enable detection of disease-related changes in the membranous labyrinth in vivo. In this review, we summarize the current status of MR imaging for MD.Recent FindingsThe mainstays of hydrops imaging are inversion recovery sequences using delayed acquisition after intravenous or intratympanic contrast administration. Based on these techniques, several methods have been developed to detect and classify EH. In addition, novel imaging features of MD, such as blood-labyrinth barrier impairment, have recently been observed.SummaryDelayed contrast enhanced MRI has emerged as a reliable technique to demonstrate EH in vivo, with promising application in the diagnosis and follow-up of MD patients. Therefore, familiarity with current techniques and diagnostic imaging criteria is increasingly important

β-Mannosidase deficiency: Heterogeneous manifestation in the first female patient and her brother

Summary β-Mannosidase deficiency was demonstrated in fibroblasts of a girl who showed severe psychomotor retardation, bone deformities and gargoylism and recurrent skin and r