Oscillations and temporal signalling in cells

The development of new techniques to quantitatively measure gene expression in cells has shed light on a number of systems that display oscillations in protein concentration. Here we review the different mechanisms which can produce oscillations in gene expression or protein concentration, using a framework of simple mathematical models. We focus on three eukaryotic genetic regulatory networks which show "ultradian" oscillations, with time period of the order of hours, and involve, respectively, proteins important for development (Hes1), apoptosis (p53) and immune response (NFkB). We argue that underlying all three is a common design consisting of a negative feedback loop with time delay which is responsible for the oscillatory behaviour

Classification of three-body quantum halos

The different kinds of behaviour of three-body systems in the weak binding limit are classified with specific attention to the transition from a true three-body system to an effective two-body system. For weakly bound Borromean systems approaching the limit of binding we show that the size-binding energy relation is an almost universal function of the three s-wave scattering lengths measured in units of a hyperradial scaling parameter defined as a mass weighted average of two-body equivalent square well radii. We explain why three-body halos follow this curve and why systems appearing above reveal two-body substructures. Three-body quantum halos 2-3 times larger than the limit set by zero hypermoment are possible