720 research outputs found
Correlation functions of small-scale fluctuations of the interplanetary magnetic field
The Interplanetary Magnetic Field shows complex spatial and temporal
variations. Single spacecraft measurements reveal only a one dimensional
section of this rich four dimensional phenomenon. Multi-point measurements of
the four Cluster spacecraft provide a unique tool to study the spatiotemporal
structure of the field. Using Cluster data we determined three dimensional
correlation functions of the fluctuations. By means of the correlation function
one can describe and measure field variations. Our results can be used to
verify theoretical predictions, to understand the formation and nature of solar
wind turbulence. We found that the correlation length varies over almost six
orders of magnitude. The IMF turbulence shows significant anisotropy with two
distinct populations. In certain time intervals the ratio of the three axes of
the correlation ellipse is 1/2.2/6 while in the remaining time we found
extremely high correlation along one axis. We found favoured directions in the
orientation of the correlation ellipsoids.Comment: accepted to Solar Physics on June 14, 2010. 10 pages, 8 figure
Diffusion in normal and critical transient chaos
In this paper we investigate deterministic diffusion in systems which are
spatially extended in certain directions but are restricted in size and open in
other directions, consequently particles can escape. We introduce besides the
diffusion coefficient D on the chaotic repeller a coefficient which
measures the broadening of the distribution of trajectories during the
transient chaotic motion. Both coefficients are explicitly computed for
one-dimensional models, and they are found to be different in most cases. We
show furthermore that a jump develops in both of the coefficients for most of
the initial distributions when we approach the critical borderline where the
escape rate equals the Liapunov exponent of a periodic orbit.Comment: 4 pages Revtex file in twocolumn format with 2 included postscript
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Modes of Oblique Inversion: A Case Study From the Cretaceous Fold and Thrust Belt of the Western Transdanubian Range (TR), West Hungary
KIC 8302197 : a non-rotating or low-inclination pulsating subdwarf B star observed with the Kepler spacecraft
We present our analysis of Kepler data of a pulsating subdwarf B star, KIC 8302197. We used Q5-17 data and applied a Fourier technique to extract 30 significant pulsation modes. We searched for multiplets and period-spacing sequences to perform a mode identification and to derive a rotation period. To our surprise, KIC 8302197 does not show any multiplets. We explain the lack of multiplets by either a very slow rotation (longer than ~1000 days) or a unique (pole-on) orientation of the pulsation axis. Our mode identification relied solely on period spacing. We were successful in identifying modal degrees of most of the detected modes. An analysis of the period stability did not show any evidence of a companion to the host star. In addition to photometric data, several spectroscopic observations were collected. Our twelve radial-velocity measurements constrain a possible orbital radial-velocity amplitude to be smaller than about 10 km s-1. Furthermore, based on color indices we constrained a possible companion to be an M or later type main sequence, a compact or a substellar object. We found that the atmospheric parameters (Teff = 27 450 ± 200 K, log g = 5.438 ± 0.033 dex, and log (nHe /nH) = −2.56 ± 0.07 dex) of KIC 8302197 are consistent with other slow pulsating subdwarf B stars. From the optical spectra we derived C, N, O, Si and Fe abundances, and set an upper limit for the S abundance
dUTPase based switch controls transfer of virulence genes in order to preserve integrity of the transferred mobile genetic elements
dUTPases ubiquitously regulate cellular dUTP levels to preserve
genome integrity. Recently, several other cellular processes were
reported to be controlled by dUTPases including the horizontal
transfer of Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPI).
SaPIs are mobil genetic elements that encode virulence enhancing
factors e.g. toxins. Here, phage dUTPases were proposed to
counteract the repressor protein (Stl) and promote SaPI excision
and transfer. A G protein-like mechanism was proposed which is
unexpected in light of the kinetic mechanism of dUTPase.
Here we investigate the molecular mechanism of SaPI transfer
regulation, using numerous dUTPase variants and a wide range
of in vitro methods (steady-state and transient kinetics, VIS and
fluorescence spectroscopy, EMSA, quartz crystal microbalance,
X-ray crystallography).
Our results unambiguously show that Stl inhibits the enzymatic
activity of dUTPase in the nM concentration range and
dUTP strongly inhibits the dUTPase: Stl complexation. These
results identify Stl as a highly potent dUTPase inhibitor protein
and disprove the G protein-like mechanism. Importantly, our
results clearly show that the dUTPase:dUTP complex is inaccessible
to the Stl repressor. Unlike in small GTPases, hydrolysis of
the substrate nucleoside triphosphate (dUTP in this case) is
required prior to the interaction with the partner (Stl repressor in
this case). We propose that dUTPase can efficiently interact with
Stl and induce SaPI excision only if the cellular dUTP level is low (i.e. when dUTPase resides mainly in the apo enzyme form)
while high dUTP levels would inhibit SaPI transfer. This mechanism
may serve the preservation of the integrity of the transferred
SaPI genes and links the well-known metabolic role of
dUTPases to their newly revealed regulatory function in spread
of virulence factors
Extraction methods for phycocyanin determination in freshwater filamentous cyanobacteria and their application in a shallow lake
Phycocyanin (PC) is one of the water-soluble accessory pigments of cyanobacteria species, and its concentration in aquatic systems is used to estimate the presence and relative abundance of blue-green algae. PC concentration and the PC/Chl-a ratio of four N2-fixing filamentous cyanobacteria strains (Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, Anabaena spiroides, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and Aphanizomenon issatschenkoi) common to Lake Balaton (Hungary) were determined using repeated freezing and thawing. A strong linear correlation was found between the extracted PC and Chl-a concentrations for all strains at high Chl-a concentrations (almost stable PC/Chl-a ratio in the range of 20−100 µg l−1 Chl-a). Extraction of PC and Chl-a from samples with low biomass of cyanobacteria (less than 20 µg l−1 Chl-a) proved to be unreliable using the standard protocol of freeze–thaw cycles (coefficients of variation exceeding 10–15%). In order to find an extraction method that is robust in fresh waters characterized by low algae biomass (e.g. Lake Balaton), the effectiveness of four extraction methods (repeated freeze–thaw method and homogenization with mortar and pestle, Ultrasonic, and Polytron homogenizer) were compared using C. raciborskii. It was found that the efficiency of extraction of phycocyanin was highest when a single freeze–thaw cycle was followed by sonication (25% additional yield compared with using the freeze–thaw method alone). Applying this combined method to surface water samples of Lake Balaton, a strong correlation was found between PC concentration and cyanobacterial biomass (R 2 = 0.9436), whilst the repeated freezing–thawing method found no detectable PC content. Here we show that the combined sonication/freeze–thaw method could be suitable for measuring filamentous cyanobacteria PC content, even at low concentrations; as well as for the estimation of cyanobacterial contribution to total biomass in fresh waters
Comparison of averages of flows and maps
It is shown that in transient chaos there is no direct relation between
averages in a continuos time dynamical system (flow) and averages using the
analogous discrete system defined by the corresponding Poincare map. In
contrast to permanent chaos, results obtained from the Poincare map can even be
qualitatively incorrect. The reason is that the return time between
intersections on the Poincare surface becomes relevant. However, after
introducing a true-time Poincare map, quantities known from the usual Poincare
map, such as conditionally invariant measure and natural measure, can be
generalized to this case. Escape rates and averages, e.g. Liapunov exponents
and drifts can be determined correctly using these novel measures. Significant
differences become evident when we compare with results obtained from the usual
Poincare map.Comment: 4 pages in Revtex with 2 included postscript figures, submitted to
Phys. Rev.
Giant Clusters in Random Ad Hoc Networks
The present paper introduces ad hoc communication networks as examples of
large scale real networks that can be prospected by statistical means. A
description of giant cluster formation based on the single parameter of node
neighbor numbers is given along with the discussion of some asymptotic aspects
of the giant cluster sizes.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures; typos and correction
Role of A2A adenosine receptors in regulation of opsonized E. coli-induced macrophage function
Adenosine is a biologically active molecule that is formed at sites of metabolic stress associated with trauma and inflammation, and its systemic level reaches high concentrations in sepsis. We have recently shown that inactivation of A2A adenosine receptors decreases bacterial burden as well as IL-10, IL-6, and MIP-2 production in mice that were made septic by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Macrophages are important in both elimination of pathogens and cytokine production in sepsis. Therefore, in the present study, we questioned whether macrophages are responsible for the decreased bacterial load and cytokine production in A2A receptor-inactivated septic mice. We showed that A2A KO and WT peritoneal macrophages obtained from septic animals were equally effective in phagocytosing opsonized E. coli. IL-10 production induced by opsonized E. coli was decreased in macrophages obtained from septic A2A KO mice as compared to WT counterparts. In contrast, the release of IL-6 and MIP-2 induced by opsonized E. coli was higher in septic A2A KO macrophages than WT macrophages. These results suggest that peritoneal macrophages are not responsible for the decreased bacterial load and diminished MIP-2 and IL-6 production that are observed in septic A2A KO mice. In contrast, peritoneal macrophages may contribute to the suppressive effect of A2A receptor inactivation on IL-10 production during sepsis
Orbital Magnetism in Ensembles of Parabolic Potentials
We study the magnetic susceptibility of an ensemble of non-interacting
electrons confined by parabolic potentials and subjected to a perpendicular
magnetic field at finite temperatures. We show that the behavior of the average
susceptibility is qualitatively different from that of billiards. When averaged
over the Fermi energy the susceptibility exhibits a large paramagnetic response
only at certain special field values, corresponding to comensurate classical
frequencies, being negligible elsewhere. We derive approximate analytical
formulae for the susceptibility and compare the results with numerical
calculations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, REVTE
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