240 research outputs found
Attempts to detect retrotransposition and de novo deletion of Alus and other dispersed repeats at specific loci in the human genome
Dispersed repeat elements contribute to genome instability by de novo insertion and unequal recombination between repeats. To study the dynamics of these processes, we have developed single DNA molecule approaches to detect de novo insertions at a single locus and Alu-mediated deletions at two different loci in human genomic DNA. Validation experiments showed these approaches could detect insertions and deletions at frequencies below 10(-6) per cell. However, bulk analysis of germline (sperm) and somatic DNA showed no evidence for genuine mutant molecules, placing an upper limit of insertion and deletion rates of 2 x 10(-7) and 3 x 10(-7), respectively, in the individuals tested. Such re-arrangements at these loci therefore occur at a rate lower than that detectable by the most sensitive methods currently available
Velocity distribution of fluidized granular gases in presence of gravity
The velocity distribution of a fluidized dilute granular gas in the direction
perpendicular to the gravitational field is investigated by means of Molecular
Dynamics simulations. The results indicate that the velocity distribution can
be exactly described neither by a Gaussian nor by a stretched exponential law.
Moreover, it does not exhibit any kind of scaling. In fact, the actual shape of
the distribution depends on the number of monolayers at rest, on the
restitution coefficient and on the height at what it is measured. The role
played by the number of particle-particle collisions as compared with the
number of particle-wall collisions is discussed
Energy fluctuations in vibrated and driven granular gases
We investigate the behavior of energy fluctuations in several models of
granular gases maintained in a non-equilibrium steady state. In the case of a
gas heated from a boundary, the inhomogeneities of the system play a
predominant role. Interpreting the total kinetic energy as a sum of independent
but not identically distributed random variables, it is possible to compute the
probability density function (pdf) of the total energy. Neglecting correlations
and using the analytical expression for the inhomogeneous temperature profile
obtained from the granular hydrodynamic equations, we recover results which
have been previously observed numerically and which had been attributed to the
presence of correlations. In order to separate the effects of spatial
inhomogeneities from those ascribable to velocity correlations, we have also
considered two models of homogeneously thermostated gases: in this framework it
is possible to reveal the presence of non-trivial effects due to velocity
correlations between particles. Such correlations stem from the inelasticity of
collisions. Moreover, the observation that the pdf of the total energy tends to
a Gaussian in the large system limit, suggests that they are also due to the
finite size of the system.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figure
Permeability of a bubble assembly: From the very dry to the wet limit
We measure the permeability of a fluidized bed of monodispersed bubbles with
soap solution characteristic of mobile and non-mobile interfaces. These
experimental data extend the permeability curves previously published for foam
in the dry limit. In the wet limit, these data join the permeability curves of
a hard sphere suspension at porosity equal to 0.4 and 0.6 in the cases of
mobile and non-mobile interfaces respectively. We show that the model of
permeability proposed by Kozeny and Carman and originally validated for packed
beds of spheres (with porosity around 0.4) can be successfully applied with no
adjustable parameters to liquid fractions from 0.001 up to 0.85 for systems
made of monodisperse and deformable entities with non-mobile interfaces
Self-Similarity in Random Collision Processes
Kinetics of collision processes with linear mixing rules are investigated
analytically. The velocity distribution becomes self-similar in the long time
limit and the similarity functions have algebraic or stretched exponential
tails. The characteristic exponents are roots of transcendental equations and
vary continuously with the mixing parameters. In the presence of conservation
laws, the velocity distributions become universal.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Entropic Tightening of Vibrated Chains
We investigate experimentally the distribution of configurations of a ring
with an elementary topological constraint, a ``figure-8'' twist. Using vibrated
granular chains, which permit controlled preparation and direct observation of
such a constraint, we show that configurations where one of the loops is tight
and the second is large are strongly preferred. This agrees with recent
predictions for equilibrium properties of topologically-constrained polymers.
However, the dynamics of the tightening process weakly violate detailed
balance, a signature of the nonequilibrium nature of this system.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
An elastic, plastic, viscous model for slow shear of a liquid foam
We suggest a scalar model for deformation and flow of an amorphous material
such as a foam or an emulsion. To describe elastic, plastic and viscous
behaviours, we use three scalar variables: elastic deformation, plastic
deformation rate and total deformation rate; and three material specific
parameters: shear modulus, yield deformation and viscosity. We obtain equations
valid for different types of deformations and flows slower than the relaxation
rate towards mechanical equilibrium. In particular, they are valid both in
transient or steady flow regimes, even at large elastic deformation. We discuss
why viscosity can be relevant even in this slow shear (often called
"quasi-static") limit. Predictions of the storage and loss moduli agree with
the experimental literature, and explain with simple arguments the non-linear
large amplitude trends
Velocity Fluctuations in Electrostatically Driven Granular Media
We study experimentally the particle velocity fluctuations in an
electrostatically driven dilute granular gas. The experimentally obtained
velocity distribution functions have strong deviations from Maxwellian form in
a wide range of parameters. We have found that the tails of the distribution
functions are consistent with a stretched exponential law with typical
exponents of the order 3/2. Molecular dynamic simulations shows qualitative
agreement with experimental data. Our results suggest that this non-Gaussian
behavior is typical for most inelastic gases with both short and long range
interactions.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Velocity correlations in dense granular gases
We report the statistical properties of spherical steel particles rolling on
an inclined surface being driven by an oscillating wall. Strong dissipation
occurs due to collisions between the particles and rolling and can be tuned by
changing the number density. The velocities of the particles are observed to be
correlated over large distances comparable to the system size. The distribution
of velocities deviates strongly from a Gaussian. The degree of the deviation,
as measured by the kurtosis of the distribution, is observed to be as much as
four times the value corresponding to a Gaussian, signaling a significant
breakdown of the assumption of negligible velocity correlations in a granular
system.Comment: 4 pages, 4 Figure
Dynamics of electrostatically-driven granular media. Effects of Humidity
We performed experimental studies of the effect of humidity on the dynamics
of electrostatically-driven granular materials. Both conducting and dielectric
particles undergo a phase transition from an immobile state (granular solid) to
a fluidized state (granular gas) with increasing applied field. Spontaneous
precipitation of solid clusters from the gas phase occurs as the external
driving is decreased. The clustering dynamics in conducting particles is
primarily controlled by screening of the electric field but is aided by
cohesion due to humidity. It is shown that humidity effects dominate the
clustering process with dielectric particles.Comment: 4 pages, 4 fig
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