The evolution of signal form: Effects of learned versus inherited recognition

Organisms can learn by individual experience to recognize relevant stimuli in the environment or they can genetically inherit this ability from their parents. Here, we ask how these two modes of acquisition affect signal evolution, focusing in particular on the exaggeration and cost of signals. We argue first, that faster learning by individual receivers cannot be a driving force for the evolution of exaggerated and costly signals unless signal senders are related or the same receiver and sender meet repeatedly. We argue instead that biases in receivers’ recognition mechanisms can promote the evolution of costly exaggeration in signals. We provide support for this hypothesis by simulating coevolution between senders and receivers, using artificial neural networks as a model of receivers’ recognition mechanisms. We analyse the joint effects of receiver biases, signal cost and mode of acquisition, investigating the circumstances under which learned recognition gives rise to more exaggerated signals than inherited recognition. We conclude the paper by discussing the relevance of our results to a number of biological scenarios

Branching principles of animal and plant networks identified by combining extensive data, machine learning, and modeling

Branching in vascular networks and in overall organismic form is one of the most common and ancient features of multicellular plants, fungi, and animals. By combining machine-learning techniques with new theory that relates vascular form to metabolic function, we enable novel classification of diverse branching networks--mouse lung, human head and torso, angiosperm and gymnosperm plants. We find that ratios of limb radii--which dictate essential biologic functions related to resource transport and supply--are best at distinguishing branching networks. We also show how variation in vascular and branching geometry persists despite observing a convergent relationship across organisms for how metabolic rate depends on body mass.Comment: 55 pages, 8 figures, 8 table

Enantioselective Synthesis of the 5–6–7 Carbocyclic Core of the Gagunin Diterpenoids

A catalytic enantioselective double allylic alkylation reaction has been employed in the synthesis of the core of the gagunin diterpenoids. Enantioenriched material was advanced in 11 steps to afford the core of the highly oxygenated target, which includes two all-carbon quaternary stereocenters

Long-term Cre-mediated retrograde tagging of neurons using a novel recombinant pseudorabies virus

Brain regions contain diverse populations of neurons that project to different long-range targets. The study of these subpopulations in circuit function and behavior requires a toolkit to characterize and manipulate their activity in vivo. We have developed a novel set of reagents based on Pseudorabies Virus (PRV) for efficient and long-term genetic tagging of neurons based on their projection targets. By deleting IE180, the master transcriptional regulator in the PRV genome, we have produced a mutant virus capable of infection and transgene expression in neurons but unable to replicate in or spread from those neurons. IE180-null mutants showed no cytotoxicity, and infected neurons exhibited normal physiological function more than 45 days after infection, indicating the utility of these engineered viruses for chronic experiments. To enable rapid and convenient construction of novel IE180-null recombinants, we engineered a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) shuttle-vector system for moving new constructs into the PRV IE180-null genome. Using this system we generated an IE180-null recombinant virus expressing the site-specific recombinase Cre. This Cre-expressing virus (PRV-hSyn-Cre) efficiently and robustly infects neurons in vivo and activates transgene expression from Cre-dependent vectors in local and retrograde projecting populations of neurons in the mouse. We also generated an assortment of recombinant viruses expressing fluorescent proteins (mCherry, EGFP, ECFP). These viruses exhibit long-term labeling of neurons in vitro but transient labeling in vivo. Together these novel IE180-null PRV reagents expand the toolkit for targeted gene expression in the brain, facilitating functional dissection of neuronal circuits in vivo

Total Syntheses of Cyanthiwigins B, F, and G

A concise and versatile approach toward the preparation of the cyanthiwigin family of cyathane natural products is described. By leveraging a unique double asymmetric catalytic alkylation procedure it is possible to quickly establish two of the most critical stereocenters of the cyanthiwigin framework with high levels of selectivity and expediency. The synthetic route additionally employs both a tandem ring-closing cross-metathesis reaction, and an aldehyde-olefin radical cyclization process, in order to rapidly arrive at the tricyclic cyathane core of the cyanthiwigin molecules. From this unifying intermediate, the preparations of cyanthiwigins B, F, and G are attained swiftly and without the need for protecting groups

Signature of relic heavy stable neutrinos in underground experiments

Considering heavy stable neutrinos of 4th generation we calculate the relic density of such neutrinos in the Universe. Taking into account the condensation of heavy neutrinos in the Galaxy and applying the results of calculations to experimental data from underground experiments on search for WIMPs in elastic neutral current scattering on nuclei we found an exclusion region of neutrino mass 60 GeV < m < 290 GeV. The bounds obtained from present underground experiments while confirming the previous bounds derived from analysis of cosmic ray spectra are more relible ones. We discuss also the first indication of elastic scattering induced by WIMP in DAMA experiment finding a very narrow window of neutrino mass 45 GeV < m < 50 GeV compatible with the possible signal rate in the detector.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Avoiding BBN Constraints on Mirror Models for Sterile Neutrinos

We point out that in models that explain the LSND result for neutrino oscillation using the mirror neutrinos, the big bang nucleosynthesis constraint can be avoided by using the late time phase transition that only helps to mix the active and the sterile neutrinos. We discuss the astrophysical as well as cosmological implications of this proposal.Comment: 5 pages, latex; more discussion added; results unchange

Galactic Gamma Halo by Heavy Neutrino annihilations?

The diffused gamma halo around our Galaxy recently discovered by EGRET could be produced by annihilations of relic neutrinos N (of fourth generation), whose mass is within a narrow range (Mz /2 < M < Mz). Neutrino annihilations in the halo may lead to either ultrarelativistic electron pairs whose inverse Compton Scattering on infrared or optical galactic photons could be the source of the observed GeV gamma rays, or to prompt 100 MeV- 1 GeV photons (due to neutral pion secondaries) born by N - anti N --> Z--> quark pairs reactions. The consequent gamma flux (10 ^(-7)- 10^(-6) cm ^(-2) s^(-1) sr^(-1)) is well comparable to the EGRET observed one and it is also compatible with the narrow window of neutrino mass : 45 GeV < M < 50 GeV recently required to explain the underground DAMA signals. The presence of heavy neutrinos of fourth generation do not contribute much to solve the dark matter problem of the Universe, but it may be easily detectable by outcoming LEP II data.Comment: 16 pages, Latex text,in press in Astroparticle Physics 199