Quantum Baker Maps for Spiraling Chaotic Motion

We define a coupling of two baker maps through a pi/2 rotation both in position and in momentum. The classical trajectories thus exhibit spiraling, or loxodromic motion, which is only possible for conservative maps of at least two degrees of freedom. This loxodromic baker map is still hyperbolic, that is, fully chaotic. Quantization of this map follows on similar lines to other generalized baker maps. It is found that the eigenvalue spectrum for quantum loxodromic baker map is far removed from those of the canonical random matrix ensembles. An investigation of the symmetries of the loxodromic baker map reveals the cause of this deviation from the Bohigas-Giannoni-Schmit conjecture

Static friction on the fly: velocity depinning transitions of lubricants in motion

The dragging velocity of a model solid lubricant confined between sliding periodic substrates exhibits a phase transition between two regimes, respectively with quantized and with continuous lubricant center-of-mass velocity. The transition, occurring for increasing external driving force F_ext acting on the lubricant, displays a large hysteresis, and has the features of depinning transitions in static friction, only taking place on the fly. Although different in nature, this phenomenon appears isomorphic to a static Aubry depinning transition in a Frenkel-Kontorova model, the role of particles now taken by the moving kinks of the lubricant-substrate interface. We suggest a possible realization in 2D optical lattice experiments.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, revtex, in print in Phys. Rev. Let

Identification of genes that affect cardiac failure in diabetic Drosophila melanogaster

High sugar diets exacerbate type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease in humans and model organisms, including Drosophila melanogaster. High sugar diets are linked to cardiovascular disease through lipotoxicity, which causes lipid accumulation in the blood and organs. While the lipids and mechanisms underlying lipotoxicity are not well understood, increased abundance of cardiac diacylglycerides, triacylglycerides, and other lipids is strongly associated with impaired cardiovascular function. We used tissue-specific loss-of-function genetics to target genes that we hypothesized might contribute to the accumulation of toxic lipid species in Drosophila. Genes encoding enzymes in several metabolic pathways were knocked down in a screen in the fat body, an adipose-like organ that exhibits endocrine control of systemic metabolism. We measured the impact of chronic high sugar feeding on heart function by testing each genotype\u27s ability to tolerate cardiac stress. A number of proteins were found that were able to ameliorate or exacerbate cardiac stress-induced heart failures. Elucidating lipotoxicity pathways may lead to the discovery of targets for treating cardiovascular disease.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_spring2020/1063/thumbnail.jp

Quantum baker maps with controlled-NOT coupling

The characteristic stretching and squeezing of chaotic motion is linearized within the finite number of phase space domains which subdivide a classical baker map. Tensor products of such maps are also chaotic, but a more interesting generalized baker map arises if the stacking orders for the factor maps are allowed to interact. These maps are readily quantized, in such a way that the stacking interaction is entirely attributed to primary qubits in each map, if each subsystem has power-of-two Hilbert space dimension. We here study the particular example of two baker maps that interact via a controlled-not interaction. Numerical evidence indicates that the control subspace becomes an ideal Markovian environment for the target map in the limit of large Hilbert space dimension.Comment: 8 page

Exactly quantized dynamics of classical incommensurate sliders

We report peculiar velocity quantization phenomena in the classical motion of an idealized 1D solid lubricant, consisting of a harmonic chain interposed between two periodic sliders. The ratio v_cm/v_ext of the chain center-of-mass velocity to the externally imposed relative velocity of the sliders stays pinned to exact "plateau" values for wide ranges of parameters, such as sliders corrugation amplitudes, external velocity, chain stiffness and dissipation, and is strictly determined by the commensurability ratios alone. The phenomenon is explained by one slider rigidly dragging the kinks that the chain forms with the other slider. Possible consequences of these results for some real systems are discussed.Comment: 5 pags 4 fig

DATA INTEGRATION OF DIFFERENT DOMAINS IN GEO-INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: A RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE CASE STUDY

A 3D city model is a representation of an urban environment with a three-dimensional geometry of common urban objects and structures, with buildings as the most prominent feature. In the last decades, 3D city models appear to have been predominantly used for visualisation; however, nowadays they are being increasingly employed in a number of domains and for a broad range of tasks beyond visualisation. The MUIF (Modello Unico dell’Infrastruttura Fisica) project, here illustrated as a case study, refers to the implementation of a single spatial model of the infrastructure of Italy’s railway system (RFI). The authors describe preliminary results and the critical aspects of the study they are carrying out, explaining the processes and methodology to model all datasets into a single integrated spatial model as the reference base for future continuously updates. The case study refers to data collected by different sources and at various resolutions. An integrated spatial Database has been used for modelling topographic 3D objects, traditionally implemented in a 3D city model, as well as other specific 3D objects, related to the railway infrastructure that, usually, aren’t modelled in a 3D city model, following the same methodology as the first ones.</p

Rebound pathway overactivation by cancer cells following discontinuation of PI3K or mTOR inhibition promotes cancer cell growth.

Whilst effects of anti-cancer drugs have been thoroughly explored, little is known about the repercussion of drug cessation. However, this has important clinical relevance since several clinical protocols such as intermittent drug scheduling lead to frequent drug discontinuation. In this study, we have thus investigated the consequences of withdrawal of agents that target the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in cancer cells. We report that washout of kinase inhibitors of mTOR or PI3K inhibitors led to a rapid and sustainable overactivation of AKT. Consequently, proliferation of tumor cells was significantly higher following drug washout in cancer cells that were pre-treated with mTOR or PI3K inhibitors compared to untreated cells. This effect was prevented by the addition of an AKT inhibitor following drug washout. Rebound AKT overactivation induced by mTOR or PI3K inhibitors discontinuation was mediated by IGF-1R, as demonstrated by its prevention in the presence of an IGF-1R inhibitor and by increased IGF-1R phosphorylation in treated cells versus control cells. Taken together, our results show that discontinuation of PI3K or mTOR inhibitors results in AKT overactivation that promotes tumor growth. They further highlight the benefit of adding an AKT inhibitor following cessation of PI3K or mTOR inhibitors

Research into engineering and operation parameters of mineral fertiliser application machine with new fertiliser spreading tools

The output capacity of the machine for top spreading the soil with solid mineral fertilisers can be raised by means of increasing its working width. The authors have carried out field trials and field experiment investigations with the MVU-8 granulated mineral fertilizer spreading machine equipped with two prototype units of the centrifugal fertiliser spreading tool, in which the axis can be tilted at different angles to the vertical line. In accordance with the results of the completed investigations, it has been established that setting the axial tilt angle of the centrifugal operating device in the fertiliser spreading tool within the range of 25–30° provides for achieving a productivity of the combined tractor-implement unit for applying mineral fertilisers at a level of 35–40 ha per working shift hour. The best performance in the fertiliser application with regard to both the working width and the fertiliser placing distribution uniformity is ensured at angles of inclination of the disc in the fertiliser spreading tool with respect to the horizontal plane within the range of 25–30°. At these angles, the uneven distribution of the fertiliser over the working width is equal to 19.2%, the uneven distribution of the fertiliser along the unit’s line of travel is equal to 8.9%, while the deviation in the dosage of the applied fertilisers from the set value is equal to 7.5%

ARTD2 activity is stimulated by RNA

ADP-ribosyltransferases (ARTs) are important enzymes that regulate the genotoxic stress response and the maintenance of genome integrity. ARTD1 (PARP1) and ARTD2 (PARP2) are homologous proteins that modify themselves and target proteins by the addition of mono- and poly-ADP-ribose (PAR) moieties. Both enzymes have been described to be involved in the genotoxic stress response. Here, we characterize cellular PAR formation on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or N-methyl-N′-methyl-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) stress, in combination with application of the RNA polymerase I inhibitor Actinomycin D (ActD), known to cause accumulation of short RNA polymerase I-dependent rRNA transcripts. Intriguingly, co-treatment with ActD substantially increased H2O2- or MNNG-induced PAR formation. In cells, this enhancement was predominantly mediated by ARTD2 and not ARTD1. In vitro experiments confirmed that ARTD2 is strongly activated by RNA and that the N-terminal SAP domain is important for the binding to RNA. Thus, our findings identify a new activator of ARTD2-dependent ADP-ribosylation, which has important implications for the future analysis of the biological role of ARTD2 in the nucleu