647 research outputs found
Inflationary spectra and partially decohered distributions
It is generally expected that decoherence processes will erase the quantum
properties of the inflationary primordial spectra. However, given the weakness
of gravitational interactions, one might end up with a distribution which is
only partially decohered. Below a certain critical change, we show that the
inflationary distribution retains quantum properties. We identify four of
these: a squeezed spread in some direction of phase space, non-vanishing
off-diagonal matrix elements, and two properties used in quantum optics called
non--representability and non-separability. The last two are necessary
conditions to violate Bell's inequalities. The critical value above which all
these properties are lost is associated to the `grain' of coherent states. The
corresponding value of the entropy is equal to half the maximal (thermal)
value. Moreover it coincides with the entropy of the effective distribution
obtained by neglecting the decaying modes. By considering backreaction effects,
we also provide an upper bound for this entropy at the onset of the adiabatic
era.Comment: 42 pages, 9 figures; 1 ref. adde
Proton Wires in an Electric Field: the Impact of Grotthuss Mechanism on Charge Translocation
We present the results of the modeling of proton translocation in finite
H-bonded chains in the framework of two-stage proton transport model. We
explore the influence of reorientation motion of protons, as well as the effect
of electric field and proton correlations on system dynamics. An increase of
the reorientation energy results in the transition of proton charge from the
surrounding to the inner water molecules in the chain. Proton migration along
the chain in an external electric field has a step-like character, proceeding
with the occurrence of electric field threshold-type effects and drastic
redistribution of proton charge. Electric field applied to correlated chains
induces first a formation of ordered dipole structures for lower field
strength, and than, with a further field strength increase, a stabilization of
states with Bjerrum D-defects. We analyze the main factors responsible for the
formation/annihilation of Bjerrum defects showing the strong influence of the
complex interplay between reorientation energy, electric field and temperature
in the dynamics of proton wire.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figure
Identification of transcription-factor genes expressed in the Arabidopsis female gametophyte
Dongfang Wang, Changqing Zhang, David J. Hearn, Il-HO Kang, megan I. Skaggs, Karen S. Schumaker, and Ramin Yadegari are with the School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0036, USA -- Il-Ho Kang, Jayson A. Punwani, and Gary N. Drews are with the Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0840, USA -- Changqing Zhang is with The Section of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-0159, USA -- David J. Hearn is with the Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Towson, Maryland 21252-0001, USA -- Il-Ho Kang is with the Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1100, USA --Jayson A. Punwani is with the Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3280, USABackground
In flowering plants, the female gametophyte is typically a seven-celled structure with four cell types: the egg cell, the central cell, the synergid cells, and the antipodal cells. These cells perform essential functions required for double fertilization and early seed development. Differentiation of these distinct cell types likely involves coordinated changes in gene expression regulated by transcription factors. Therefore, understanding female gametophyte cell differentiation and function will require dissection of the gene regulatory networks operating in each of the cell types. These efforts have been hampered because few transcription factor genes expressed in the female gametophyte have been identified. To identify such genes, we undertook a large-scale differential expression screen followed by promoter-fusion analysis to detect transcription-factor genes transcribed in the Arabidopsis female gametophyte.
Results
Using quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR, we analyzed 1,482 Arabidopsis transcription-factor genes and identified 26 genes exhibiting reduced mRNA levels in determinate infertile 1 mutant ovaries, which lack female gametophytes, relative to ovaries containing female gametophytes. Spatial patterns of gene transcription within the mature female gametophyte were identified for 17 transcription-factor genes using promoter-fusion analysis. Of these, ten genes were predominantly expressed in a single cell type of the female gametophyte including the egg cell, central cell and the antipodal cells whereas the remaining seven genes were expressed in two or more cell types. After fertilization, 12 genes were transcriptionally active in the developing embryo and/or endosperm.
Conclusions
We have shown that our quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR differential-expression screen is sufficiently sensitive to detect transcription-factor genes transcribed in the female gametophyte. Most of the genes identified in this study have not been reported previously as being expressed in the female gametophyte. Therefore, they might represent novel regulators and provide entry points for reverse genetic and molecular approaches to uncover the gene regulatory networks underlying female gametophyte development.Cellular and Molecular [email protected]
Oscillations of rapidly rotating relativistic stars
Non-axisymmetric oscillations of rapidly rotating relativistic stars are
studied using the Cowling approximation. The oscillation spectra have been
estimated by Fourier transforming the evolution equations describing the
perturbations. This is the first study of its kind and provides information on
the effect of fast rotation on the oscillation spectra while it offers the
possibility in studying the complete problem by including spacetime
perturbations. Our study includes both axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric
perturbations and provides limits for the onset of the secular bar mode
rotational instability. We also present approximate formulae for the dependence
of the oscillation spectrum from rotation. The results suggest that it is
possible to extract the relativistic star's parameters from the observed
gravitational wave spectrum.Comment: this article will be published in Physical Review
Outbreak investigation and control case report of brucellosis: experience from livestock research centre, Mpwapwa, Tanzania.
This research article published by AOSIS, 2014Brucellosis screening was conducted between 2005 and 2010 at the National Livestock Research Institute headquarters, Mpwapwa, Tanzania, following an abortion storm in cattle. The initial screening targeted breeding herds; 483 cattle were screened using the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) followed by the Competitive Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (c-ELISA) as a confirmatory test. The seropositivity on c-ELISA was 28.95% in 2005; it subsequently declined to 6.72%, 1.17%, 0.16% and 0.00% in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010, respectively. Brucella seropositivity was not detected in goats. Seropositivity declined following institution of stringent control measures that included: gradual culling of seropositive animals through slaughter; isolation and confinement of pregnant cows close to calving; proper disposal of placentas and aborted foetuses; the use of the S19 vaccine; and restricted introduction of new animals. It was thought that the source of this outbreak was likely to have been from the introduction of infected animals from another farm. Furthermore, humans were found with brucellosis antibodies. Out of 120 people screened, 12 (10%) were confirmed seropositive to brucella antigen exposure by c-ELISA analysis. The majority of the seropositive individuals (80%) were milkers and animal handlers from the farm. Nine individuals had clinical signs suggestive of brucellosis. All cases received medical attention from the district hospital. This achievement in livestock and human health showed that it is possible to control brucellosis in dairy farms, compared to pastoral and agro-pastoral farms, thus providing evidence to adopt these strategies in dairy farms thought to be at risk
Ultrastructure of the first component of human complement: electron microscopy of the crosslinked complex.
Sensitivity and parameter-estimation precision for alternate LISA configurations
We describe a simple framework to assess the LISA scientific performance
(more specifically, its sensitivity and expected parameter-estimation precision
for prescribed gravitational-wave signals) under the assumption of failure of
one or two inter-spacecraft laser measurements (links) and of one to four
intra-spacecraft laser measurements. We apply the framework to the simple case
of measuring the LISA sensitivity to monochromatic circular binaries, and the
LISA parameter-estimation precision for the gravitational-wave polarization
angle of these systems. Compared to the six-link baseline configuration, the
five-link case is characterized by a small loss in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)
in the high-frequency section of the LISA band; the four-link case shows a
reduction by a factor of sqrt(2) at low frequencies, and by up to ~2 at high
frequencies. The uncertainty in the estimate of polarization, as computed in
the Fisher-matrix formalism, also worsens when moving from six to five, and
then to four links: this can be explained by the reduced SNR available in those
configurations (except for observations shorter than three months, where five
and six links do better than four even with the same SNR). In addition, we
prove (for generic signals) that the SNR and Fisher matrix are invariant with
respect to the choice of a basis of TDI observables; rather, they depend only
on which inter-spacecraft and intra-spacecraft measurements are available.Comment: 17 pages, 4 EPS figures, IOP style, corrected CQG versio
Achieving geodetic motion for LISA test masses: ground testing result
The low-frequency resolution of space-based gravitational wave observatories
such as LISA (Laser Interferometry Space Antenna) hinges on the orbital purity
of a free-falling reference test mass inside a satellite shield. We present
here a torsion pendulum study of the forces that will disturb an orbiting test
mass inside a LISA capacitive position sensor. The pendulum, with a measured
torque noise floor below 10 fNm/sqrt{Hz} from 0.6 to 10 mHz, has allowed
placement of an upper limit on sensor force noise contributions, measurement of
the sensor electrostatic stiffness at the 5% level, and detection and
compensation of stray DC electrostatic biases at the mV level.Comment: 4 pages (revtex4) with 4 figure
Regularization of statistical inverse problems and the Bakushinskii veto
In the deterministic context Bakushinskii's theorem excludes the existence of
purely data driven convergent regularization for ill-posed problems. We will
prove in the present work that in the statistical setting we can either
construct a counter example or develop an equivalent formulation depending on
the considered class of probability distributions. Hence, Bakushinskii's
theorem does not generalize to the statistical context, although this has often
been assumed in the past. To arrive at this conclusion, we will deduce from the
classic theory new concepts for a general study of statistical inverse problems
and perform a systematic clarification of the key ideas of statistical
regularization.Comment: 20 page
Two Mode Quantum Systems: Invariant Classification of Squeezing Transformations and Squeezed States
A general analysis of squeezing transformations for two mode systems is given
based on the four dimensional real symplectic group Sp(4,\Re)\/. Within the
framework of the unitary metaplectic representation of this group, a
distinction between compact photon number conserving and noncompact photon
number nonconserving squeezing transformations is made. We exploit the
Sp(4,\Re)-SO(3,2)\/ local isomorphism and the U(2)\/ invariant squeezing
criterion to divide the set of all squeezing transformations into a two
parameter family of distinct equivalence classes with representative elements
chosen for each class. Familiar two mode squeezing transformations in the
literature are recognized in our framework and seen to form a set of measure
zero. Examples of squeezed coherent and thermal states are worked out. The need
to extend the heterodyne detection scheme to encompass all of U(2)\/ is
emphasized, and known experimental situations where all U(2)\/ elements can
be reproduced are briefly described.Comment: Revtex 37 pages, Latex figures include
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