Influences of Excluded Volume of Molecules on Signaling Processes on Biomembrane

We investigate the influences of the excluded volume of molecules on biochemical reaction processes on 2-dimensional surfaces using a model of signal transduction processes on biomembranes. We perform simulations of the 2-dimensional cell-based model, which describes the reactions and diffusion of the receptors, signaling proteins, target proteins, and crowders on the cell membrane. The signaling proteins are activated by receptors, and these activated signaling proteins activate target proteins that bind autonomously from the cytoplasm to the membrane, and unbind from the membrane if activated. If the target proteins bind frequently, the volume fraction of molecules on the membrane becomes so large that the excluded volume of the molecules for the reaction and diffusion dynamics cannot be negligible. We find that such excluded volume effects of the molecules induce non-trivial variations of the signal flow, defined as the activation frequency of target proteins, as follows. With an increase in the binding rate of target proteins, the signal flow varies by i) monotonically increasing; ii) increasing then decreasing in a bell-shaped curve; or iii) increasing, decreasing, then increasing in an S-shaped curve. We further demonstrate that the excluded volume of molecules influences the hierarchical molecular distributions throughout the reaction processes. In particular, when the system exhibits a large signal flow, the signaling proteins tend to surround the receptors to form receptor-signaling protein clusters, and the target proteins tend to become distributed around such clusters. To explain these phenomena, we analyze the stochastic model of the local motions of molecules around the receptor.Comment: 31 pages, 10 figure

Search for Second-Generation Scalar Leptoquarks in ppˉ\bm{p \bar{p}} Collisions at s\sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV

Results on a search for pair production of second generation scalar leptoquark in $p \bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=1.96 TeV are reported. The data analyzed were collected by the CDF detector during the 2002-2003 Tevatron Run II and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 198 pb$^{-1}$. Leptoquarks (LQ) are sought through their decay into (charged) leptons and quarks, with final state signatures represented by two muons and jets and one muon, large transverse missing energy and jets. We observe no evidence for $LQ$ production and derive 95% C.L. upper limits on the $LQ$ production cross sections as well as lower limits on their mass as a function of $\beta$, where $\beta$ is the branching fraction for $LQ \to \mu q$.Comment: 9 pages (3 author list) 5 figure

Measurement of the Dipion Mass Spectrum in X(3872) -> J/Psi Pi+ Pi- Decays

We measure the dipion mass spectrum in X(3872)--> J/Psi Pi+ Pi- decays using 360 pb-1 of pbar-p collisions at 1.96 TeV collected with the CDF II detector. The spectrum is fit with predictions for odd C-parity (3S1, 1P1, and 3DJ) charmonia decaying to J/Psi Pi+ Pi-, as well as even C-parity states in which the pions are from Rho0 decay. The latter case also encompasses exotic interpretations, such as a D0-D*0Bar molecule. Only the 3S1 and J/Psi Rho hypotheses are compatible with our data. Since 3S1 is untenable on other grounds, decay via J/Psi Rho is favored, which implies C=+1 for the X(3872). Models for different J/Psi-Rho angular momenta L are considered. Flexibility in the models, especially the introduction of Rho-Omega interference, enable good descriptions of our data for both L=0 and 1.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures -- Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Search for New Physics in Lepton + Photon + X Events with L=305 pb-1 of ppbar Collisions at roots=1.96 TeV

We present results of a search for anomalous production of events containing a charged lepton (either electron or muon) and a photon, both with high transverse momentum, accompanied by additional signatures, X, including missing transverse energy (MET) and additional leptons and photons. We use the same kinematic selection criteria as in a previous CDF search, but with a substantially larger data set, 305 pb-1, a ppbar collision energy of 1.96 TeV, and the upgraded CDF II detector. We find 42 Lepton+Photon+MET events versus a standard model expectation of 37.3 +- 5.4 events. The level of excess observed in Run I, 16 events with an expectation of 7.6 +- 0.7 events (corresponding to a 2.7 sigma effect), is not supported by the new data. In the signature of Multi-Lepton+Photon+X we observe 31 events versus an expectation of 23.0 +- 2.7 events. In this sample we find no events with an extra photon or MET and so find no events like the one ee+gg+MET event observed in Run I.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. Accepted to PR

Search for ZZ and ZW Production in ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

We present a search for ZZ and ZW vector boson pair production in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV using the leptonic decay channels ZZ --> ll nu nu, ZZ --> l l l' l' and ZW --> l l l' nu. In a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 194 pb-1 collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab, 3 candidate events are found with an expected background of 1.0 +/- 0.2 events. We set a 95% confidence level upper limit of 15.2 pb on the cross section for ZZ plus ZW production, compared to the standard model prediction of 5.0 +/- 0.4 pb.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. This version is accepted for publication by Phys. Rev. D Rapid Communication

Quality Coding by Neural Populations in the Early Olfactory Pathway: Analysis Using Information Theory and Lessons for Artificial Olfactory Systems

In this article, we analyze the ability of the early olfactory system to detect and discriminate different odors by means of information theory measurements applied to olfactory bulb activity images. We have studied the role that the diversity and number of receptor neuron types play in encoding chemical information. Our results show that the olfactory receptors of the biological system are low correlated and present good coverage of the input space. The coding capacity of ensembles of olfactory receptors with the same receptive range is maximized when the receptors cover half of the odor input space - a configuration that corresponds to receptors that are not particularly selective. However, the ensemble’s performance slightly increases when mixing uncorrelated receptors of different receptive ranges. Our results confirm that the low correlation between sensors could be more significant than the sensor selectivity for general purpose chemo-sensory systems, whether these are biological or biomimetic

Measurement of sigma B-chi c2(chi(c2)-> J/psi gamma)/sigma B-chi c1(chi(c1)-> J/psi gamma) in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We measure the ratio of cross section times branching fraction, R(p)=sigma(chi c2)B(chi(c2)-> J/psi gamma)/sigma(chi c1)B(chi(c1)-> J/psi gamma), in 1.1 fb(-1) of p (p) over bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV. This measurement covers the kinematic range p(T)(J/psi)> 4.0 GeV/c, |eta(J/psi) 1.0 GeV/c. For events due to prompt processes, we find R(p)=0.395 +/- 0.016(stat)+/- 0.015(syst). This result represents a significant improvement in precision over previous measurements of prompt chi(c1,2) hadro production

Measurement of the B+ production cross section in pp(-) collisions at root s=1960 GeV

We present a new measurement of the B+ meson differential cross section d sigma/dp(T) at root s=1960 GeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 739 pb(-1) collected with the upgraded CDF detector (CDF II) at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. B+ candidates are reconstructed through the decay B+-\u3e J/psi K+, with J/psi -\u3emu(+)mu(-). The integrated cross section for producing B+ mesons with p(T)\u3e= 6 GeV/c and vertical bar y vertical bar \u3c= 1 is measured to be 2.78 +/- 0.24 mu b

Measurement of the B+ production cross section in p-pbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1960 GeV

We present a new measurement of the $B^+$ meson differential cross section $d\sigma/d p_T$ at $\sqrt{s}=1960$ GeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 739pb$^{-1}$ collected with the upgraded CDF detector (CDF II) at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. $B^+$ candidates are reconstructed through the decay $B^+ \to J/\psi K^+$, with $J/\psi \to \mu^+ \mu^-$. The integrated cross section for producing $B^+$ mesons with $p_T \geq 6$ GeV/c and $|y| \leq 1$ is measured to be $2.78 \pm 0.24 \mu$bComment: 28 pages, 3 tables, 10 figures Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Search for W \u27 boson decaying to electron-neutrino pairs in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We present the results of a search for W-\u27 boson decaying to electron-neutrino pairs in p (p) over bar collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, using a data sample corresponding to 205 pb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the CDF II detector at Fermilab. We observe no evidence for this decay mode and set limits on the production cross section times branching fraction, assuming the neutrinos from W-\u27 boson decays to be light. If we assume the manifest left-right symmetric model, we exclude a W-\u27 boson with mass less than 788 GeV/c(2) at the 95% confidence level