641 research outputs found
Cell polarity in cerebral cortex development - cellular architecture shaped by biochemical networks
The human cerebral cortex is the seat of our cognitive abilities and composed of an extraordinary number of neurons, organized in six distinct layers. The establishment of specific morphological and physiological features in individual neurons needs to be regulated with high precision. Impairments in the sequential developmental programs instructing corticogenesis lead to alterations in the cortical cytoarchitecture which is thought to represent the major underlying cause for several neurological disorders including neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases. In this review we discuss the role of cell polarity at sequential stages during cortex development. We first provide an overview of morphological cell polarity features in cortical neural stem cells and newly-born postmitotic neurons. We then synthesize a conceptual molecular and biochemical framework how cell polarity is established at the cellular level through a break in symmetry in nascent cortical projection neurons. Lastly we provide a perspective how the molecular mechanisms applying to single cells could be probed and integrated in an in vivo and tissue-wide context
Measurement in biological systems from the self-organisation point of view
Measurement in biological systems became a subject of concern as a
consequence of numerous reports on limited reproducibility of experimental
results. To reveal origins of this inconsistency, we have examined general
features of biological systems as dynamical systems far from not only their
chemical equilibrium, but, in most cases, also of their Lyapunov stable states.
Thus, in biological experiments, we do not observe states, but distinct
trajectories followed by the examined organism. If one of the possible
sequences is selected, a minute sub-section of the whole problem is obtained,
sometimes in a seemingly highly reproducible manner. But the state of the
organism is known only if a complete set of possible trajectories is known. And
this is often practically impossible. Therefore, we propose a different
framework for reporting and analysis of biological experiments, respecting the
view of non-linear mathematics. This view should be used to avoid
overoptimistic results, which have to be consequently retracted or largely
complemented. An increase of specification of experimental procedures is the
way for better understanding of the scope of paths, which the biological system
may be evolving. And it is hidden in the evolution of experimental protocols.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure
Measurements and analysis of the upper critical field on an underdoped and overdoped compounds
The upper critical field is one of the many non conventional
properties of high- cuprates. It is possible that the
anomalies are due to the presence of inhomogeneities in the local charge
carrier density of the planes. In order to study this point, we
have prepared good quality samples of polycrystalline
using the wet-chemical method, which has demonstrated to produce samples with a
better cation distribution. In particular, we have studied the temperature
dependence of the second critical field, , through the magnetization
measurements on two samples with opposite average carrier concentration
() and nearly the same critical temperature, namely
(underdoped) and (overdoped). The results close to do not
follow the usual Ginzburg-Landau theory and are interpreted by a theory which
takes into account the influence of the inhomogeneities.Comment: Published versio
The starburst phenomenon from the optical/near-IR perspective
The optical/near-IR stellar continuum carries unique information about the
stellar population in a galaxy, its mass function and star-formation history.
Star-forming regions display rich emission-line spectra from which we can
derive the dust and gas distribution, map velocity fields, metallicities and
young massive stars and locate shocks and stellar winds. All this information
is very useful in the dissection of the starburst phenomenon. We discuss a few
of the advantages and limitations of observations in the optical/near-IR region
and focus on some results. Special attention is given to the role of
interactions and mergers and observations of the relatively dust-free starburst
dwarfs. In the future we expect new and refined diagnostic tools to provide us
with more detailed information about the IMF, strength and duration of the
burst and its triggering mechanisms.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, to appear in "Starbursts: from 30 Doradus to
Lyman Break Galaxies" 2005, eds. R. de Grijs and R. M. Gonzalez Delgado
(Kluwer
Protein Pattern Formation
Protein pattern formation is essential for the spatial organization of many
intracellular processes like cell division, flagellum positioning, and
chemotaxis. A prominent example of intracellular patterns are the oscillatory
pole-to-pole oscillations of Min proteins in \textit{E. coli} whose biological
function is to ensure precise cell division. Cell polarization, a prerequisite
for processes such as stem cell differentiation and cell polarity in yeast, is
also mediated by a diffusion-reaction process. More generally, these functional
modules of cells serve as model systems for self-organization, one of the core
principles of life. Under which conditions spatio-temporal patterns emerge, and
how these patterns are regulated by biochemical and geometrical factors are
major aspects of current research. Here we review recent theoretical and
experimental advances in the field of intracellular pattern formation, focusing
on general design principles and fundamental physical mechanisms.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, review articl
Seasonal Dynamics of Dissolved Iron on the Antarctic Continental Shelf: Late-Fall Observations From the Terra Nova Bay and Ross Ice Shelf Polynyas
Over the Ross Sea shelf, annual primary production is limited by dissolved iron (DFe) supply. Here, a major source of DFe to surface waters is thought to be vertical resupply from the benthos, which is assumed most prevalent during winter months when katabatic winds drive sea ice formation and convective overturn in coastal polynyas, although the impact of these processes on water-column DFe distributions has not been previously documented. We collected hydrographic data and water-column samples for trace metals analysis in the Terra Nova Bay and Ross Ice Shelf polynyas during April-May 2017 (late austral fall). In the Terra Nova Bay polynya, we observed intense katabatic wind events, and surface mixed layer depths varied from similar to 250 to similar to 600 m over lateral distances \u3c10 km; there vertical mixing was just starting to excavate the dense, iron-rich Shelf Waters, and there was also evidence of DFe inputs at shallower depths in the water column. In the Ross Ice Shelf polynya, wind speeds were lower, mixed layers were \u3c300 m deep, and DFe distributions were similar to previous, late-summer observations, with concentrations elevated near the seafloor. Corresponding measurements of dissolved manganese and zinc, and particulate iron, manganese, and aluminum, suggest that deep DFe maxima and some mid-depth DFe maxima primarily reflect sedimentary inputs, rather than remineralization. Our data and model simulations imply that vertical resupply of DFe in the Ross Sea occurs mainly during mid-late winter, and may be particularly sensitive to changes in the timing and extent of sea ice production
Weak ferromagnetism with very large canting in a chiral lattice: (pyrimidine)2FeCl2
The transition metal coordination compound (pyrimidine)2FeCl2 crystallizes in
a chiral lattice, space group I 4_1 2 2 (or I4_3 2 2). Combined magnetization,
Mossbauer spectroscopy and powder neutron diffraction studies reveal that it is
a canted antiferromagnet below T_N = 6.4 K with an unusually large canting of
the magnetic moments of 14 deg. from their general antiferromagnetic alignment,
one of the largest reported to date. This results in weak ferromagnetism with a
ferromagnetic component of 1 mu_B. The large canting is due to the interplay
between the antiferromagnetic exchange interaction and the local single-ion
anisotropy in the chiral lattice. The magnetically ordered structure of
(pyrimidine)2FeCl2, however, is not chiral. The implications of these findings
for the search of molecule based materials exhibiting chiral magnetic ordering
is discussed.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
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