6,966 research outputs found
Geometric control of particle manipulation in a two-dimensional fluid
Manipulation of particles suspended in fluids is crucial for many applications, such as precision machining, chemical processes, bio-engineering, and self-feeding of microorganisms. In this paper, we study the problem of particle manipulation by cyclic fluid boundary excitations from a geometric-control viewpoint. We focus on the simplified problem of manipulating a single particle by generating controlled cyclic motion of a circular rigid body in a two-dimensional perfect fluid. We show that the drift in the particle location after one cyclic motion of the body can be interpreted as the geometric phase of a connection induced by the system's hydrodynamics. We then formulate the problem as a control system, and derive a geometric criterion for its nonlinear controllability. Moreover, by exploiting the geometric structure of the system, we explicitly construct a feedback-based gait that results in attraction of the particle towards the rigid body. We argue that our gait is robust and model-independent, and demonstrate it in both perfect fluid and Stokes fluid
The nuclear contacts and short range correlations in nuclei
Atomic nuclei are complex strongly interacting systems and their exact
theoretical description is a long-standing challenge. An approximate
description of nuclei can be achieved by separating its short and long range
structure. This separation of scales stands at the heart of the nuclear shell
model and effective field theories that describe the long-range structure of
the nucleus using a mean- field approximation. We present here an effective
description of the complementary short-range structure using contact terms and
stylized two-body asymptotic wave functions. The possibility to extract the
nuclear contacts from experimental data is presented. Regions in the two-body
momentum distribution dominated by high-momentum, close-proximity, nucleon
pairs are identified and compared to experimental data. The amount of
short-range correlated (SRC) nucleon pairs is determined and compared to
measurements. Non-combinatorial isospin symmetry for SRC pairs is identified.
The obtained one-body momentum distributions indicate dominance of SRC pairs
above the nuclear Fermi-momentum.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physics Letters. 6 pages, 2 figure
A two-dimensional model of low-Reynolds number swimming beneath a free surface
Biological organisms swimming at low Reynolds number are often influenced by
the presence of rigid boundaries and soft interfaces. In this paper we present
an analysis of locomotion near a free surface with surface tension. Using a
simplified two-dimensional singularity model, and combining a complex variable
approach with conformal mapping techniques, we demonstrate that the deformation
of a free surface can be harnessed to produce steady locomotion parallel to the
interface. The crucial physical ingredient lies in the nonlinear hydrodynamic
coupling between the disturbance flow created by the swimmer and the free
boundary problem at the fluid surface
Timing of hydrogen cyanamide application to grapevine buds
One major factor limiting the application of hydrogen cyanamide (H<sub>2</sub>CN<sub>2</sub>) is the difficulty in deciding when to apply, since mistiming may lead to bud and crop damage. Since an effective method for monitoring the developmental stage of dormant buds is not yet available, minimizing such a risk involves the regional evaluation of application timing. For three successive years, several H<sub>2</sub>CN<sub>2</sub> application dates were evaluated in cv. Perlette vineyards in the Jordan valley in Israel. The level and uniformity of bud break did not differ significantly among the application dates tested. However, major effects of the application date on cluster number, cluster size and yield were found. The sensitivity of the reproductive meristem to H<sub>2</sub>CN<sub>2</sub> is discussed
Imaging interactions between the immune and cardiovascular systems in vivo by multiphoton microscopy
Several recent studies in immunology have used multiphoton laser-scanning microscopy to visualise the induction of an immune response in real time in vivo. These experiments are illuminating the cellular and molecular interactions involved in the induction, maintenance and regulation of immune responses. Similar approaches are being applied in cardiovascular research where there is an increasing body of
evidence to support a significant role for the adaptive immune system in vascular disease. As such, we have begun to dissect the role of T lymphocytes in atherosclerosis in real time in vivo. Here, we provide step-by-step guides to the various stages involved in visualising the migration of T cells within a lymph node and their infiltration into inflamed tissues such as atherosclerotic arteries. These methods provide an insight into the mechanisms involved in the activation and function of immune cells in vivo
Stabilization of thermocapillary convection by means of nonplanar flow oscillations
Nonplanar flow oscillations have been shown to be effective in stabilizing buoyancy-induced Rayleigh-Benard convection. The present study was initiated to see if thermocapillary convection of the Marangoni type might also be stabilized by the same means. When surface deflection can be ignored, significant stabilization occurs. However, when the operating parameters are such that surface deflection is nonnegligible, destabilization can occur, in contrast to Rayleigh-Benard convection. Mechanisms for both stabilization and destabilization are discussed
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Binding to medium and long chain fatty acyls is a common property of HEAT and ARM repeat modules.
Covalent post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins with acyl groups of various carbon chain-lengths regulates diverse biological processes ranging from chromatin dynamics to subcellular localization. While the YEATS domain has been found to be a prominent reader of acetylation and other short acyl modifications, whether additional acyl-lysine reader domains exist, particularly for longer carbon chains, is unclear. Here, we employed a quantitative proteomic approach using various modified peptide baits to identify reader proteins of various acyl modifications. We discovered that proteins harboring HEAT and ARM repeats bind to lysine myristoylated peptides. Recombinant HEAT and ARM repeats bind to myristoylated peptides independent of the peptide sequence or the position of the myristoyl group. Indeed, HEAT and ARM repeats bind directly to medium- and long-chain free fatty acids (MCFA and LCFA). Lipidomic experiments suggest that MCFAs and LCFAs interact with HEAT and ARM repeat proteins in mammalian cells. Finally, treatment of cells with exogenous MCFAs and inhibitors of MCFA-CoA synthases increase the transactivation activity of the ARM repeat protein β-catenin. Taken together, our results suggest an unappreciated role for fatty acids in the regulation of proteins harboring HEAT or ARM repeats
Studies in Thermocapillary Convection of the Marangoni-Benard Type
The effects of imposed nonlinear oscillatory shear upon the onset of Marangoni-Bernard convection, as predicted by linear theory, in a layer of liquid with a deformable free surface were reported upon by Or and Kelly for small amplitude oscillations. Depending on the operating conditions, either stabilization or destabilization might occur. The aim of the current paper is to report the results for finite amplitude imposed oscillations so that the actual amount of stabilization or destabilization can be determined for prescribed operating conditions
Coral kin aggregations exhibit mixed allogeneic reactions and enhanced fitness during early ontogeny
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Aggregated settlement of kin larvae in sessile marine invertebrates may result in a complex array of compatible and incompatible allogeneic responses within each assemblage. Each such aggregate can, therefore, be considered as a distinct self-organizing biological entity representing adaptations that have evolved to maximize the potential benefits of gregarious settlement. However, only sparse information exists on the selective forces and ecological consequences of allogeneic coalescence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We studied the consequences of aggregated settlement of kin larvae of <it>Stylophora pistillata </it>(a Red Sea stony coral), under controlled laboratory settings. When spat came into contact, they either fused, establishing a chimera, or rejected one another. A one-year study on growth and survivorship of 544 settled <it>S. pistillata </it>genotypes revealed six types of biological entities: (1) Single genotypes (SG); (2) Bi-chimeras (BC); (3) Bi-rejecting genotypes (BR); (4) Tri-chimera entities (TC); (5) Three-rejecting genotypes (TR); and (6) Multi-partner entities (MP; consisting of 7.5 ± 2.6 partners). Analysis of allorecognition responses revealed an array of effector mechanisms: real tissue fusions, transitory fusions and six other histoincompatible reactions (borderline formation, sutures, overgrowth, bleaching, rejection, and partner death), disclosing unalike onsets of ontogeny and complex modes of appearance within each aggregate. Evaluations at the entity level revealed that MP entities were the largest, especially in the first two months (compared with SG: 571% in the first month and 162% in the seventh month). However, at the genotype level, the SG entities were the largest and the colonies with the highest-cost-per-genotype were the TR and the MP colonies. The cost was calculated as reduced average genotype size, from 27% and 12% in the first month to 67% and 64% in the seventh month, respectively. In general, MP exhibited the highest survivorship rate (85%, after one year) and SG the lowest (54%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In view of the above, we suggest that the driving force behind gregarious kin settlements in <it>Stylophora pistillata </it>stems from gained benefits associated with the immediate and long-term increase in total size of the MP entity, whereas survivorship rates did not draw a parallel link. Furthermore, the biological organization of MP entity exhibits, simultaneously, an intricate network of rejecting and fusible interactions in a single allogeneic intimate arena, where proposed benefits surpass costs incurred by discord among founders. Above results and documentations on gregarious settlement in other marine taxa bring us to suggest that the 'group level' of kin aggregates may serve as a ubiquitous legitimate selection entity in the evolution of a sessile mode of life in marine organisms.</p
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