On the Robustness of NK-Kauffman Networks Against Changes in their Connections and Boolean Functions

NK-Kauffman networks {\cal L}^N_K are a subset of the Boolean functions on N Boolean variables to themselves, \Lambda_N = {\xi: \IZ_2^N \to \IZ_2^N}. To each NK-Kauffman network it is possible to assign a unique Boolean function on N variables through the function \Psi: {\cal L}^N_K \to \Lambda_N. The probability {\cal P}_K that \Psi (f) = \Psi (f'), when f' is obtained through f by a change of one of its K-Boolean functions (b_K: \IZ_2^K \to \IZ_2), and/or connections; is calculated. The leading term of the asymptotic expansion of {\cal P}_K, for N \gg 1, turns out to depend on: the probability to extract the tautology and contradiction Boolean functions, and in the average value of the distribution of probability of the Boolean functions; the other terms decay as {\cal O} (1 / N). In order to accomplish this, a classification of the Boolean functions in terms of what I have called their irreducible degree of connectivity is established. The mathematical findings are discussed in the biological context where, \Psi is used to model the genotype-phenotype map.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figure, Accepted in Journal of Mathematical Physic

Suppression of Superconductivity in Single Crystals of UPt_3 by Pd Substitution

The suppression of superconductivity by substitution effects has been measured in high quality single crystals of U(Pt_{1-x} Pd_x)_3 with 0 <= x <= 0.002. While the superconducting transition temperature T_c varies linearly with residual resistivity r_0, consistent with pair-breaking by impurity potential scattering, the rate of suppression of T_c with r_0 is much larger for Pd substitution than for other impurity substitutions or by increased defect density. This effect is correlated with an increase in the inelastic scattering coefficient, and may be related to Pd-induced changes in the magnetic fluctuation spectrum.Comment: 12 page in manuscript, plus 4 figure

Experimental tests of host-virus coevolution in natural killer yeast strains

Fungi may carry cytoplasmic viruses that encode anticompetitor toxins. These so-called killer viruses may provide competitive benefits to their host, but also incur metabolic costs associated with viral replication, toxin production and immunity. Mechanisms responsible for the stable maintenance of these endosymbionts are insufficiently understood. Here, we test whether co-adaptation of host and killer virus underlies their stable maintenance in seven natural and one laboratory strain of the genus Saccharomyces. We employ cross-transfection of killer viruses, all encoding the K1-type toxin, to test predictions from host-virus co-adaptation. These tests support local adaptation of hosts and/or their killer viruses. First, new host-virus combinations have strongly reduced killing ability against a standard sensitive strain when compared with re-constructed native combinations. Second, viruses are more likely to be lost from new than from original hosts upon repeated bottlenecking or the application of stressful conditions. Third, host fitness is increased after the re-introduction of native viruses, but decreased after the introduction of new viruses. Finally, rather than a trade-off, original combinations show a positive correlation between killing ability and fitness. Together, these results suggest that natural yeast killer strains and their viruses have co-adapted, allowing the transition from a parasitic to a mutualistic symbiosis.</p

Sn delta-doping in GaAs

We have prepared a number of GaAs structures delta-doped by Sn using the well-known molecular beam epitaxy growth technique. The samples obtained for a wide range of Sn doping densities were characterised by magnetotransport experiments at low temperatures and in high magnetic fields up to 38 T. Hall-effect and Shubnikov-de Haas measurements show that the electron densities reached are higher than for other delta-dopants, like Si and Be. The maximum carrier density determined by the Hall effect equals 8.4x10^13 cm^-2. For all samples several Shubnikov-de Haas frequencies were observed, indicating the population of multiple subbands. The depopulation fields of the subbands were determined by measuring the magnetoresistance with the magnetic field in the plane of the delta-layer. The experimental results are in good agreement with selfconsistent bandstructure calculations. These calculation shows that in the sample with the highest electron density also the conduction band at the L point is populated.Comment: 11 pages text (ps), 9 figures (ps), submitted to Semicon. Science Tech

Anomalous response of superconducting titanium nitride resonators to terahertz radiation

We present an experimental study of KIDs fabricated of atomic layer deposited TiN films, and characterized at radiation frequencies of $350$~GHz. The responsivity to radiation is measured and found to increase with increasing radiation powers, opposite to what is expected from theory and observed for hybrid niobium titanium nitride / aluminium (NbTiN/Al) and all-aluminium (all-Al) KIDs. The noise is found to be independent of the level of the radiation power. The noise equivalent power (NEP) improves with higher radiation powers, also opposite to what is observed and well understood for hybrid NbTiN/Al and all-Al KIDs. We suggest that an inhomogeneous state of these disordered superconductors should be used to explain these observations

Shaping Robust System through Evolution

Biological functions are generated as a result of developmental dynamics that form phenotypes governed by genotypes. The dynamical system for development is shaped through genetic evolution following natural selection based on the fitness of the phenotype. Here we study how this dynamical system is robust to noise during development and to genetic change by mutation. We adopt a simplified transcription regulation network model to govern gene expression, which gives a fitness function. Through simulations of the network that undergoes mutation and selection, we show that a certain level of noise in gene expression is required for the network to acquire both types of robustness. The results reveal how the noise that cells encounter during development shapes any network's robustness, not only to noise but also to mutations. We also establish a relationship between developmental and mutational robustness through phenotypic variances caused by genetic variation and epigenetic noise. A universal relationship between the two variances is derived, akin to the fluctuation-dissipation relationship known in physics

The underscreened Kondo effect: a two S=1 impurity model

The underscreened Kondo effect is studied within a model of two impurities S=1 interacting with the conduction band and via an interimpurity coupling $K\vec{S_1}.\vec{S_2}$. Using a mean-field treatment of the bosonized Hamiltonian, we show that there is no phase transition, but a continuous cross-over versus K from a non Kondo behaviour to an underscreened Kondo one. For a small antiferromagnetic coupling (K>0), a completely asymmetric situation is obtained with one s=${1/2}$ component strongly screened by the Kondo effect and the other one almost free to yield indirect magnetism, which shows finally a possible coexistence between a RKKY interaction and a local Kondo effect, as observed in Uranium compounds such as $UPt_3$.Comment: 27 pages, RevTeX, to be published in PR

Superconductivity in heavy-fermion U(Pt,Pd)3 and its interplay with magnetism

The effect of Pd doping on the superconducting phase diagram of the unconventional superconductor UPt3 has been measured by (magneto)resistance, specific heat, thermal expansion and magnetostriction. Experiments on single- and polycrystalline U(Pt1-xPdx)3 for x<= 0.006 show that the superconducting transition temperatures of the A phase, Tc+, and of the B phase, Tc-, both decrease, while the splitting DTc increases at a rate of 0.30(2)K/at.%Pd. We find that DTc(x) correlates with an increase of the weak magnetic moment m(x) upon Pd doping. This provides further evidence for Ginzburg-Landau scenarios with magnetism as the symmetry breaking field, i.e. the 2D E representation and the 1D odd parity model. Only for small splittings DTc is proportional to m^2(Tc+) (DTc<= 0.05 K) as predicted. The results at larger splittings call for Ginzburg-Landau expansions beyond 4th order. The tetracritical point in the B-T plane persists till at least x= 0.002 for B perpendicular to c, while it is rapidly suppressed for B||c. Upon alloying the A and B phases gain stability at the expense of the C phase.Comment: 25 pages text (PS), 8 pages with 14 figures (PS), submitted to Phys.Rev.

Scharnhorst effect at oblique incidence

We consider the Scharnhorst effect (anomalous photon propagation in the Casimir vacuum) at oblique incidence, calculating both photon speed and polarization states as functions of angle. The analysis is performed in the framework of nonlinear electrodynamics and we show that many features of the situation can be extracted solely on the basis of symmetry considerations. Although birefringence is common in nonlinear electrodynamics it is not universal; in particular we verify that the Casimir vacuum is not birefringent at any incidence angle. On the other hand, group velocity is typically not equal to phase velocity, though the distinction vanishes for special directions or if one is only working to second order in the fine structure constant. We obtain an ``effective metric'' that is subtly different from previous results. The disagreement is due to the way that ``polarization sums'' are implemented in the extant literature, and we demonstrate that a fully consistent polarization sum must be implemented via a bootstrap procedure using the effective metric one is attempting to define. Furthermore, in the case of birefringence, we show that the polarization sum technique is intrinsically an approximation.Comment: 11 pages double-column format, 2 figures, RevTeX 4.0 (beta 2). Final versio