321 research outputs found
Multiplexing Biochemical Signals
In this paper we show that living cells can multiplex biochemical signals,
i.e. transmit multiple signals through the same signaling pathway
simultaneously, and yet respond to them very specifically. We demonstrate how
two binary input signals can be encoded in the concentration of a common
signaling protein, which is then decoded such that each of the two output
signals provides reliable information about one corresponding input. Under
biologically relevant conditions the network can reach the maximum amount of
information that can be transmitted, which is 2 bits.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Dissipative quantum dynamics in low-energy collisions of complex nuclei
Model calculations that include the effects of irreversible, environmental
couplings on top of a coupled-channels dynamical description of the collision
of two complex nuclei are presented. The Liouville-von Neumann equation for the
time-evolution of the density matrix of a dissipative system is solved
numerically providing a consistent transition from coherent to decoherent (and
dissipative) dynamics during the collision. Quantum decoherence and dissipation
are clearly manifested in the model calculations. Energy dissipation, due to
the irreversible decay of giant-dipole vibrational states of the colliding
nuclei, is shown to result in a hindrance of quantum tunneling and fusion.Comment: Accepted in Physical Review
Stuttering Min oscillations within E. coli bacteria: A stochastic polymerization model
We have developed a 3D off-lattice stochastic polymerization model to study
subcellular oscillation of Min proteins in the bacteria Escherichia coli, and
used it to investigate the experimental phenomenon of Min oscillation
stuttering. Stuttering was affected by the rate of immediate rebinding of MinE
released from depolymerizing filament tips (processivity), protection of
depolymerizing filament tips from MinD binding, and fragmentation of MinD
filaments due to MinE. Each of processivity, protection, and fragmentation
reduces stuttering, speeds oscillations, and reduces MinD filament lengths.
Neither processivity or tip-protection were, on their own, sufficient to
produce fast stutter-free oscillations. While filament fragmentation could, on
its own, lead to fast oscillations with infrequent stuttering; high levels of
fragmentation degraded oscillations. The infrequent stuttering observed in
standard Min oscillations are consistent with short filaments of MinD, while we
expect that mutants that exhibit higher stuttering frequencies will exhibit
longer MinD filaments. Increased stuttering rate may be a useful diagnostic to
find observable MinD polymerization in experimental conditions.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, missing unit for k_f inserte
Coulomb and nuclear breakup effects in the single neutron removal reaction 197Au(17C,16C gamma)X
We analyze the recently obtained new data on the partial cross sections and
parallel momentum distributions for transitions to ground as well as excited
states of the 16C core, in the one-neutron removal reaction 197Au(17C,16C
gamma)X at the beam energy of 61 MeV/nucleon. The Coulomb and nuclear breakup
components of the one-neutron removal cross sections have been calculated
within a finite range distorted wave Born approximation theory and an eikonal
model, respectively. The nuclear contributions dominate the partial cross
sections for the core excited states. By adding the nuclear and Coulomb cross
sections together, a reasonable agreement is obtained with the data for these
states. The shapes of the experimental parallel momentum distributions of the
core states are described well by the theory.Comment: Revtex format, two figures included, to appear in Phys. Rev. C.
(Rapid communications
A stochastic model of Min oscillations in Escherichia coli and Min protein segregation during cell division
The Min system in Escherichia coli directs division to the centre of the cell
through pole-to-pole oscillations of the MinCDE proteins. We present a one
dimensional stochastic model of these oscillations which incorporates membrane
polymerisation of MinD into linear chains. This model reproduces much of the
observed phenomenology of the Min system, including pole-to-pole oscillations
of the Min proteins. We then apply this model to investigate the Min system
during cell division. Oscillations continue initially unaffected by the closing
septum, before cutting off rapidly. The fractions of Min proteins in the
daughter cells vary widely, from 50%-50% up to 85%-15% of the total from the
parent cell, suggesting that there may be another mechanism for regulating
these levels in vivo.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures (25 figure files); published at
http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/physbi
Coupled-Channels Approach for Dissipative Quantum Dynamics in Near-Barrier Collisions
A novel quantum dynamical model based on the dissipative quantum dynamics of
open quantum systems is presented. It allows the treatment of both
deep-inelastic processes and quantum tunneling (fusion) within a fully quantum
mechanical coupled-channels approach. Model calculations show the transition
from pure state (coherent) to mixed state (decoherent and dissipative) dynamics
during a near-barrier nuclear collision. Energy dissipation, due to
irreversible decay of giant-dipole excitations of the interacting nuclei,
results in hindrance of quantum tunneling.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, Invited talk by A. Diaz-Torres at the FUSION08
Conference, Chicago, September 22-26, 2008, To appear in AIP Conference
Proceeding
Probing halo nucleus structure through intermediate energy elastic scattering
This work addresses the question of precisely what features of few body
models of halo nuclei are probed by elastic scattering on protons at high
centre-of-mass energies. Our treatment is based on a multiple scattering
expansion of the proton-projectile transition amplitude in a form which is well
adapted to the weakly bound cluster picture of halo nuclei. In the specific
case of Li scattering from protons at 800 MeV/u we show that because
core recoil effects are significant, scattering crosssections can not, in
general, be deduced from knowledge of the total matter density alone.
We advocate that the optical potential concept for the scattering of halo
nuclei on protons should be avoided and that the multiple scattering series for
the full transition amplitude should be used instead.Comment: 8 pages REVTeX, 1 eps figure, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
One-neutron knockout from Ni
The single-particle structure of Ni and level structure of Ni
were investigated with the \mbox{Be (Ni,Ni+)} reaction at 73 MeV/nucleon. An inclusive cross
section of 41.4(12) mb was obtained for the reaction, compared to a theoretical
prediction of 85.4 mb, hence only 48(2)% of the theoretical cross section is
exhausted. This reduction in the observed spectroscopic strength is consistent
with that found for lighter well-bound nuclei. One-neutron removal
spectroscopic factors of 0.58(11) to the ground state and 3.7(2) to all excited
states of Ni were deduced.Comment: Phys. Rev. C, accepte
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