2,422 research outputs found

    Wind speed statistics for Goldstone, California, anemometer sites

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    An exploratory wind survey at an antenna complex was summarized statistically for application to future windmill designs. Data were collected at six locations from a total of 10 anemometers. Statistics include means, standard deviations, cubes, pattern factors, correlation coefficients, and exponents for power law profile of wind speed. Curves presented include: mean monthly wind speeds, moving averages, and diurnal variation patterns. It is concluded that three of the locations have sufficiently strong winds to justify consideration for windmill sites

    Using Entropy-Based Methods to Study General Constrained Parameter Optimization Problems

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    In this letter we propose the use of physics techniques for entropy determination on constrained parameter optimization problems. The main feature of such techniques, the construction of an unbiased walk on energy space, suggests their use on the quest for optimal solutions of an optimization problem. Moreover, the entropy, and its associated density of states, give us information concerning the feasibility of solutions.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, references correcte

    Thermodynamic restrictions on evolutionary optimization of transcription factor proteins

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    Conformational fluctuations are believed to play an important role in the process by which transcription factor proteins locate and bind their target site on the genome of a bacterium. Using a simple model, we show that the binding time can be minimized, under selective pressure, by adjusting the spectrum of conformational states so that the fraction of time spent in more mobile conformations is matched with the target recognition rate. The associated optimal binding time is then within an order of magnitude of the limiting binding time imposed by thermodynamics, corresponding to an idealized protein with instant target recognition. Numerical estimates suggest that typical bacteria operate in this regime of optimized conformational fluctuations

    Coevolution of agents and networks: Opinion spreading and community disconnection

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    We study a stochastic model for the coevolution of a process of opinion formation in a population of agents and the network which underlies their interaction. Interaction links can break when agents fail to reach an opinion agreement. The structure of the network and the distribution of opinions over the population evolve towards a state where the population is divided into disconnected communities whose agents share the same opinion. The statistical properties of this final state vary considerably as the model parameters are changed. Community sizes and their internal connectivity are the quantities used to characterize such variations.Comment: To appear in Phys. Lett.

    Implicit theories of a desire for fame

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    The aim of the present studies was to generate implicit theories of a desire for fame among the general population. In Study 1, we were able to develop a nine-factor analytic model of conceptions of the desire to be famous that initially comprised nine separate factors; ambition, meaning derived through comparison with others, psychologically vulnerable, attention seeking, conceitedness, social access, altruistic, positive affect, and glamour. Analysis that sought to examine replicability among these factors suggested that three factors (altruistic, positive affect, and glamour) neither display factor congruence nor display adequate internal reliability. A second study examined the validity of these factors in predicting profiles of individuals who may desire fame. The findings from this study suggested that two of the nine factors (positive affect and altruism) could not be considered strong factors within the model. Overall, the findings suggest that implicit theories of a desire for fame comprise six factors. The discussion focuses on how an implicit model of a desire for fame might progress into formal theories of a desire for fame

    Kinetics of protein-DNA interaction: facilitated target location in sequence-dependent potential

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    Recognition and binding of specific sites on DNA by proteins is central for many cellular functions such as transcription, replication, and recombination. In the process of recognition, a protein rapidly searches for its specific site on a long DNA molecule and then strongly binds this site. Here we aim to find a mechanism that can provide both a fast search (1-10 sec) and high stability of the specific protein-DNA complex (Kd=1015108K_d=10^{-15}-10^{-8} M). Earlier studies have suggested that rapid search involves the sliding of a protein along the DNA. Here we consider sliding as a one-dimensional (1D) diffusion in a sequence-dependent rough energy landscape. We demonstrate that, in spite of the landscape's roughness, rapid search can be achieved if 1D sliding is accompanied by 3D diffusion. We estimate the range of the specific and non-specific DNA-binding energy required for rapid search and suggest experiments that can test our mechanism. We show that optimal search requires a protein to spend half of time sliding along the DNA and half diffusing in 3D. We also establish that, paradoxically, realistic energy functions cannot provide both rapid search and strong binding of a rigid protein. To reconcile these two fundamental requirements we propose a search-and-fold mechanism that involves the coupling of protein binding and partial protein folding. Proposed mechanism has several important biological implications for search in the presence of other proteins and nucleosomes, simultaneous search by several proteins etc. Proposed mechanism also provides a new framework for interpretation of experimental and structural data on protein-DNA interactions

    Thermodynamics of aggregation of two proteins

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    We investigate aggregation mechanism of two proteins in a thermodynamically unambiguous manner by considering the finite size effect of free energy landscape of HP lattice protein model. Multi-Self-Overlap-Ensemble Monte Carlo method is used for numerical calculations. We find that a dimer can be formed spontaneously as a thermodynamically stable state when the system is small enough. It implies the possibility that the aggregation of proteins in a cell is triggered when they are confined in a small region by, for example, being surrounded by other macromolecules.We also find that the dimer exhibits a transition between unstable state and metastable state in the infinite system.Comment: jpsj2.cls, 7 pages, 14 figures; misconfigurations of Fig.Nos. correcte

    Методологія визначення оптимальних технологічних параметрів транспортної інфраструктури при обслуговуванні зернових вантажопотоків

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    Комплексно проаналізовано на прикладі функціонування багатоканальної динамічної системи з кінцевим числом степенів свободи можливість покращення економічних показників транспортної системи при узгодженні інфраструктурних параметрів для обслуговування підприємств елеваторно-складського господарства. Охарактеризована залежність числового значення логістичних витрат в системі з двома вузлами обслуговування.Комплексно проанализирована на примере функционирования многоканальной динамической системы с конечным числом степеней свободы возможность улучшения экономических показателей транспортной системы при согласовании инфраструктурных параметров для обслуживания предприятий элеваторно-складского хазяйства. Охарактеризована зависимость числового значения логистических расходов в системе с двумя узлами обслуживания.In possibility of improving the economic indicators of a transport system is fully analyzed in the concordance of infrastructural parameters for maintenance of elevator-store enterprises with using, as an example, functioning of a multichannel dynamic system with the finite number of degrees of freedom. The numerical value of logistic charges for the system with two knots is described
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