58 research outputs found

    Phase structure of a two-fluid bosonic system

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    The phase diagram of a two-fluid bosonic system is investigated. The proton-neutron interacting boson model (IBM-2) possesses a rich phase structure involving three control parameters and multiple order parameters. The surfaces of quantum phase transition between spherical, axially-symmetric deformed, and SU*(3) triaxial phases are determined, and the evolution of classical equilibrium properties across these transitions is investigated. Spectroscopic observables are considered in relation to the phase diagram.Comment: LaTeX (elsart), 46 pages, as published in Ann. Phys. (N.Y.

    In Vitro Amplification of Misfolded Prion Protein Using Lysate of Cultured Cells

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    Protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) recapitulates the prion protein (PrP) conversion process under cell-free conditions. PMCA was initially established with brain material and then with further simplified constituents such as partially purified and recombinant PrP. However, availability of brain material from some species or brain material from animals with certain mutations or polymorphisms within the PrP gene is often limited. Moreover, preparation of native PrP from mammalian cells and tissues, as well as recombinant PrP from bacterial cells, involves time-consuming purification steps. To establish a convenient and versatile PMCA procedure unrestricted to the availability of substrate sources, we attempted to conduct PMCA with the lysate of cells that express cellular PrP (PrPC). PrPSc was efficiently amplified with lysate of rabbit kidney epithelial RK13 cells stably transfected with the mouse or Syrian hamster PrP gene. Furthermore, PMCA was also successful with lysate of other established cell lines of neuronal or non-neuronal origins. Together with the data showing that the abundance of PrPC in cell lysate was a critical factor to drive efficient PrPSc amplification, our results demonstrate that cell lysate in which PrPC is present abundantly serves as an excellent substrate source for PMCA

    25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

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    The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong

    X-ray CT and histological imaging of xylem vessels organization in Mimosa pudica

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    Mimosa pudica has three distinct specialized organs, namely, pulvinus, secondary pulvinus, and pulvinule, which are respectively controlling the movements of petioles, leaflets, and pinna in response to external stimuli. Water flow is a key factor for such movements, but detailed studies on the organization of the vascular system for water transport in these organs have not been published yet. In this study, organizations of the xylem vessels and morphological features of the pulvinus, the secondary pulvinus, and the pulvinule were experimentally investigated by X-ray computed tomography and histological technique. Results showed that the xylem vessels were circularly distributed in the specialized motile organs and reorganized into distinct vascular bundles at the extremities. The number and the total cross-sectional area of the xylem vessels were increased inside the specialized motile organs. Morphological characteristics obtained in this study provided new insight to understand the functions of the vascular networks in the dynamic movements of M. pudica. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:1204-1212, 2013. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.X113Nsciescopu

    Supersymmetric Multiphonon Structure

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    A multiphonon structure, which is known to exist in boson systems [e.g., the U(5) and O(6) limits of the interacting boson model], is shown to arise also in a mixed system of bosons and fermions. This is illustrated with the example of the Spin(6) limit of U( 6|4) in which a j = 3 / 2 fermion is coupled to an O(6) boson core. All states in the supersymmetric multiplet of U( 6|4) are shown to be multiphonon states obtained by multiple action of a quadrupole operator
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