The physiological variability of channel density in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells and interneurons explored using a unified data-driven modeling workflow

Every neuron is part of a network, exerting its function by transforming multiple spatiotemporal synaptic input patterns into a single spiking output. This function is specified by the particular shape and passive electrical properties of the neuronal membrane, and the composition and spatial distribution of ion channels across its processes. For a variety of physiological or pathological reasons, the intrinsic input/output function may change during a neuron’s lifetime. This process results in high variability in the peak specific conductance of ion channels in individual neurons. The mechanisms responsible for this variability are not well understood, although there are clear indications from experiment and modeling that degeneracy and correlation among multiple channels may be involved. Here, we studied this issue in biophysical models of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and interneurons. Using a unified data-driven simulation workflow and starting from a set of experimental recordings and morphological reconstructions obtained from rats, we built and analyzed several ensembles of morphologically and biophysically accurate single cell models with intrinsic electrophysiological properties consistent with experimental findings. The results suggest that the set of conductances expressed in any given hippocampal neuron may be considered as belonging to two groups: one subset is responsible for the major characteristics of the firing behavior in each population and the other responsible for a robust degeneracy. Analysis of the model neurons suggests several experimentally testable predictions related to the combination and relative proportion of the different conductances that should be expressed on the membrane of different types of neurons for them to fulfill their role in the hippocampus circuitry

Counting valence quarks at RHIC and LHC

We consider the Nuclear Modification Ratios in heavy ion collisions, R_CP and R_AA, in the region of intermediate transverse momentum, and study the dependency upon the constituent quark composition of the observed hadron. Adopting a two component recombination/fragmentation model, validated by experimental information from STAR and PHENIX, we show that a clear distinction is predicted for the f0(980) between the assumptions of $s\bar s$ or diquark-antidiquark content.Comment: 14 pages, 11 eps figures, added figures and minor corrections, to appear in Phys. Lett.

A switchable controlled-NOT gate in a spin-chain NMR quantum computer

A method of switching a controlled-NOT gate in a solid-stae NMR quantum computer is presented. Qubits of I=1/2 nuclear spins are placed periodically along a quantum spin chain (1-D antiferromagnet) having a singlet ground state with a finite spin gap to the lowest excited state caused by some quantum effect. Irradiation of a microwave tuned to the spin gap energy excites a packet of triplet magnons at a specific part of the chain where control and target qubits are involved. The packet switches on the Suhl-Nakamura interaction between the qubits, which serves as a controlled NOT gate. The qubit initialization is achieved by a qubit initializer consisting of semiconducting sheets attached to the spin chain, where spin polarizations created by the optical pumping method in the semiconductors are transferred to the spin chain. The scheme allows us to separate the initialization process from the computation, so that one can optimize the computation part without being restricted by the initialization scheme, which provides us with a wide selection of materials for a quantum computer.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Calculating Quenching Weights

We calculate the probability (``quenching weight'') that a hard parton radiates an additional energy fraction due to scattering in spatially extended QCD matter. This study is based on an exact treatment of finite in-medium path length, it includes the case of a dynamically expanding medium, and it extends to the angular dependence of the medium-induced gluon radiation pattern. All calculations are done in the multiple soft scattering approximation (Baier-Dokshitzer-Mueller-Peign\'e-Schiff--Zakharov ``BDMPS-Z''-formalism) and in the single hard scattering approximation (N=1 opacity approximation). By comparison, we establish a simple relation between transport coefficient, Debye screening mass and opacity, for which both approximations lead to comparable results. Together with this paper, a CPU-inexpensive numerical subroutine for calculating quenching weights is provided electronically. To illustrate its applications, we discuss the suppression of hadronic transverse momentum spectra in nucleus-nucleus collisions. Remarkably, the kinematic constraint resulting from finite in-medium path length reduces significantly the transverse momentum dependence of the nuclear modification factor, thus leading to consistency with the data measured at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC).Comment: 45 pages LaTeX, 20 eps-figure

Impacts of local human activities on the Antarctic environment

We review the scientific literature, especially from the past decade, on the impacts of human activities on the Antarctic environment. A range of impacts has been identified at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Chemical contamination and sewage disposal on the continent have been found to be long-lived. Contemporary sewage management practices at many coastal stations are insufficient to prevent local contamination but no introduction of non-indigenous organisms through this route has yet been demonstrated. Human activities, particularly construction and transport, have led to disturbances of flora and fauna. A small number of non-indigenous plant and animal species has become established, mostly on the northern Antarctic Peninsula and southern archipelagos of the Scotia Arc. There is little indication of recovery of overexploited fish stocks, and ramifications of fishing activity oil bycatch species and the ecosystem could also be far-reaching. The Antarctic Treaty System and its instruments, in particular the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and the Environmental Protocol, provide a framework within which management of human activities take place. In the face of the continuing expansion of human activities in Antarctica, a more effective implementation of a wide range of measures is essential, in order to ensure comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment, including its intrinsic, wilderness and scientific values which remains a fundamental principle of the Antarctic Treaty System. These measures include effective environmental impact assessments, long-term monitoring, mitigation measures for non-indigenous species, ecosystem-based management of living resources, and increased regulation of National Antarctic Programmes and tourism activities

HI in Local Group analogs: what does it tell us about galaxy formation?

We present the results of our HI survey of six loose groups of galaxies analogous to the Local Group. The survey was conducted using the Parkes telescope and the Australia Telescope Compact Array to produce a census of all the gas-rich galaxies and potential analogs to the high-velocity clouds (HVCs) within these groups down to M(HI)<10^7 M(sun) as a test of models of galaxy formation. We present the HI mass function and halo mass function for these analogous groups and compare them with the Local Group and other environments. We also demonstrate that our non-detection of HVC analogs in these groups implies that they must have low HI masses and be clustered tightly around galaxies, including around our own Milky Way, and are not distributed throughout the Local Group.Comment: 5 pages, To appear in ESO Astrophysics Symposia: "Groups of Galaxies in the Nearby Universe

Performance of prototypes for the ALICE electromagnetic calorimeter

The performance of prototypes for the ALICE electromagnetic sampling calorimeter has been studied in test beam measurements at FNAL and CERN. A $4\times4$ array of final design modules showed an energy resolution of about 11% /$\sqrt{E(\mathrm{GeV})}$ $\oplus$ 1.7 % with a uniformity of the response to electrons of 1% and a good linearity in the energy range from 10 to 100 GeV. The electromagnetic shower position resolution was found to be described by 1.5 mm $\oplus$ 5.3 mm /$\sqrt{E \mathrm{(GeV)}}$. For an electron identification efficiency of 90% a hadron rejection factor of $>600$ was obtained.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure

HI in the Outskirts of Nearby Galaxies

The HI in disk galaxies frequently extends beyond the optical image, and can trace the dark matter there. I briefly highlight the history of high spatial resolution HI imaging, the contribution it made to the dark matter problem, and the current tension between several dynamical methods to break the disk-halo degeneracy. I then turn to the flaring problem, which could in principle probe the shape of the dark halo. Instead, however, a lot of attention is now devoted to understanding the role of gas accretion via galactic fountains. The current $\rm \Lambda$ cold dark matter theory has problems on galactic scales, such as the core-cusp problem, which can be addressed with HI observations of dwarf galaxies. For a similar range in rotation velocities, galaxies of type Sd have thin disks, while those of type Im are much thicker. After a few comments on modified Newtonian dynamics and on irregular galaxies, I close with statistics on the HI extent of galaxies.Comment: 38 pages, 17 figures, invited review, book chapter in "Outskirts of Galaxies", Eds. J. H. Knapen, J. C. Lee and A. Gil de Paz, Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springer, in pres