3,888 research outputs found
Note on Signature Change and Colombeau Theory
Recent work alludes to various `controversies' associated with signature
change in general relativity. As we have argued previously, these are in fact
disagreements about the (often unstated) assumptions underlying various
possible approaches. The choice between approaches remains open.Comment: REVTex, 3 pages; to appear in GR
Classification of protein domain movements using Dynamic Contact Graphs
A new method for the classification of domain movements in proteins is described and applied to 1822 pairs of structures from the Protein Data Bank that represent a domain movement in two-domain proteins. The method is based on changes in contacts between residues from the two domains in moving from one conformation to the other. We argue that there are five types of elemental contact changes and that these relate to five model domain movements called: ‘‘free’’, ‘‘openclosed’’, ‘‘anchored’’, ‘‘sliding-twist’’, and ‘‘see-saw.’’ A directed graph is introduced called the ‘‘Dynamic Contact Graph’’ which represents the contact changes in a domain movement. In many cases a graph, or part of a graph, provides a clear visual metaphor for the movement it represents and is a motif that can be easily recognised. The Dynamic Contact Graphs are often comprised of disconnected subgraphs indicating independent regions which may play different roles in the domain movement. The Dynamic Contact Graph for each domain movement is decomposed into elemental Dynamic Contact Graphs, those that represent elemental contact changes, allowing us to count the number of instances of each type of elemental contact change in the domain movement. This naturally leads to sixteen classes into which the 1822 domain movements are classified
The Increasing Diversity and Complexity of Family Structures for Adolescents
The structure of adolescents’ families, and thus parental forms, in the United States, have become more heterogeneous and fluid over the past several decades. These changes are due to increases in never‐married, single parents, divorce, cohabitation, same‐sex parenting, multipartnered fertility, and co‐residence with grandparents. We document current diversity and complexity in adolescents’ families as important context for rethinking future parenting theory and research. We also discuss how understandings of adolescents’ families are somewhat limited by current methods used to measure characteristics of families. We recommend social network and profile‐based methods as alternatives to capturing key dimensions of family structure and processes. Understanding the diversity of households and families in which adolescents are raised can improve theory and research on parenting
Hole-Pairs in a Spin Liquid: Influence of Electrostatic Hole-Hole Repulsion
The stability of hole bound states in the t-J model including short-range
Coulomb interactions is analyzed using computational techniques on ladders with
up to sites. For a nearest-neighbors (NN) hole-hole repulsion,
the two-holes bound state is surprisingly robust and breaks only when the
repulsion is several times the exchange . At hole doping the
pairs break only for a NN-repulsion as large as . Pair-pair
correlations remain robust in the regime of hole binding. The results support
electronic hole-pairing mechanisms on ladders based on holes moving in
spin-liquid backgrounds. Implications in two dimensions are also presented. The
need for better estimations of the range and strength of the Coulomb
interaction in copper-oxides is remarked.Comment: Revised version with new figures. 4 pages, 5 figure
“Cross” Supermicelles via the Hierarchical Assembly of Amphiphilic Cylindrical Triblock Comicelles
Self-assembled
“cross” architectures are well-known
in biological systems (as illustrated by chromosomes, for example);
however, comparable synthetic structures are extremely rare. Herein
we report an in depth study of the hierarchical assembly of the amphiphilic
cylindrical P–H–P triblock comicelles with polar (P)
coronal ends and a hydrophobic (H) central periphery in a selective
solvent for the terminal segments which allows access to “cross”
supermicelles under certain conditions. Well-defined P–H–P
triblock comicelles M(PFS-<i>b</i>-PtBA)-<i>b</i>-M(PFS-<i>b</i>-PDMS)-<i>b</i>-M(PFS-<i>b</i>-PtBA) (M = micelle segment, PFS = polyferrocenyldimethylsilane,
PtBA = poly(<i>tert</i>-butyl acrylate), and PDMS = polydimethylsiloxane)
were created by the living crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA)
method. By manipulating two factors in the supermicelles, namely the
H segment-solvent interfacial energy (through the central H segment
length, <i>L</i><sub>1</sub>) and coronal steric effects
(via the PtBA corona chain length in the P segment, <i>L</i><sub>2</sub> related to the degree of polymerization DP<sub>2</sub>) the aggregation of the triblock comicelles could be finely tuned.
This allowed a phase-diagram to be constructed that can be extended
to other triblock comicelles with different coronas on the central
or end segment where “cross” supermicelles were exclusively
formed under predicted conditions. Laser scanning confocal microscopy
(LSCM) analysis of dye-labeled “cross” supermicelles,
and block “cross” supermicelles formed by addition of
a different unimer to the arm termini, provided complementary characterization
to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering
(DLS) and confirmed the existence of these “cross” supermicelles
as kinetically stable, micron-size colloidally stable structures in
solution
Particle creation rate for dynamical black holes
We present the particle creation probability rate around a general black hole
as an outcome of quantum fluctuations. Using the uncertainty principle for
these fluctuation, we derive a new ultraviolet frequency cutoff for the
radiation spectrum of a dynamical black hole. Using this frequency cutoff, we
define the probability creation rate function for such black holes. We consider
a dynamical Vaidya model, and calculate the probability creation rate for this
case when its horizon is in a slowly evolving phase. Our results show that one
can expect the usual Hawking radiation emission process in the case of a
dynamical black hole when it has a slowly evolving horizon. Moreover,
calculating the probability rate for a dynamical black hole gives a measure of
when Hawking radiation can be killed off by an incoming flux of matter or
radiation. Our result strictly suggests that we have to revise the Hawking
radiation expectation for primordial black holes that have grown substantially
since they were created in the early universe. We also infer that this
frequency cut off can be a parameter that shows the primordial black hole
growth at the emission moment.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure. The paper was rewritten in more clear
presentation and one more appendix is adde
The N-terminal intrinsically disordered domain of mgm101p is localized to the mitochondrial nucleoid.
The mitochondrial genome maintenance gene, MGM101, is essential for yeasts that depend on mitochondrial DNA replication. Previously, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it has been found that the carboxy-terminal two-thirds of Mgm101p has a functional core. Furthermore, there is a high level of amino acid sequence conservation in this region from widely diverse species. By contrast, the amino-terminal region, that is also essential for function, does not have recognizable conservation. Using a bioinformatic approach we find that the functional core from yeast and a corresponding region of Mgm101p from the coral Acropora millepora have an ordered structure, while the N-terminal domains of sequences from yeast and coral are predicted to be disordered. To examine whether ordered and disordered domains of Mgm101p have specific or general functions we made chimeric proteins from yeast and coral by swapping the two regions. We find, by an in vivo assay in S.cerevisiae, that the ordered domain of A.millepora can functionally replace the yeast core region but the disordered domain of the coral protein cannot substitute for its yeast counterpart. Mgm101p is found in the mitochondrial nucleoid along with enzymes and proteins involved in mtDNA replication. By attaching green fluorescent protein to the N-terminal disordered domain of yeast Mgm101p we find that GFP is still directed to the mitochondrial nucleoid where full-length Mgm101p-GFP is targeted
The ENIGMA Stroke Recovery Working Group: Big data neuroimaging to study brain–behavior relationships after stroke
The goal of the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta‐Analysis (ENIGMA) Stroke Recovery working group is to understand brain and behavior relationships using well‐powered meta‐ and mega‐analytic approaches. ENIGMA Stroke Recovery has data from over 2,100 stroke patients collected across 39 research studies and 10 countries around the world, comprising the largest multisite retrospective stroke data collaboration to date. This article outlines the efforts taken by the ENIGMA Stroke Recovery working group to develop neuroinformatics protocols and methods to manage multisite stroke brain magnetic resonance imaging, behavioral and demographics data. Specifically, the processes for scalable data intake and preprocessing, multisite data harmonization, and large‐scale stroke lesion analysis are described, and challenges unique to this type of big data collaboration in stroke research are discussed. Finally, future directions and limitations, as well as recommendations for improved data harmonization through prospective data collection and data management, are provided
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Spatio-temporal variation in predation by urban domestic cats (Felis catus) and the acceptability of possible management actions in the UK
Urban domestic cat (Felis catus) populations can attain exceedingly high densities and are not limited by natural prey availability. This has generated concerns that they may negatively affect prey populations, leading to calls for management. We enlisted cat-owners to record prey returned home to estimate patterns of predation by free-roaming pets in different localities within the town of Reading, UK and questionnaire surveys were used to quantify attitudes to different possible management strategies. Prey return rates were highly variable: only 20% of cats returned ≥4 dead prey annually. Consequently, approximately 65% of owners received no prey in a given season, but this declined to 22% after eight seasons. The estimated mean predation rate was 18.3 prey cat−1 year−1 but this varied markedly both spatially and temporally: per capita predation rates declined with increasing cat density. Comparisons with estimates of the density of six common bird prey species indicated that cats killed numbers equivalent to adult density on c. 39% of occasions. Population modeling studies suggest that such predation rates could significantly reduce the size of local bird populations for common urban species. Conversely, most urban residents did not consider cat predation to be a significant problem. Collar-mounted anti-predation devices were the only management action acceptable to the majority of urban residents (65%), but were less acceptable to cat-owners because of perceived risks to their pets; only 24% of cats were fitted with such devices. Overall, cat predation did appear to be of sufficient magnitude to affect some prey populations, although further investigation of some key aspects of cat predation is warranted. Management of the predation behavior of urban cat populations in the UK is likely to be challenging and achieving this would require considerable engagement with cat owners
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