1,681 research outputs found
Glueball masses in the large N limit
The lowest-lying glueball masses are computed in SU() gauge theory on a
spacetime lattice for constant value of the lattice spacing and for
ranging from 3 to 8. The lattice spacing is fixed using the deconfinement
temperature at temporal extension of the lattice . The calculation is
conducted employing in each channel a variational ansatz performed on a large
basis of operators that includes also torelon and (for the lightest states)
scattering trial functions. This basis is constructed using an automatic
algorithm that allows us to build operators of any size and shape in any
irreducible representation of the cubic group. A good signal is extracted for
the ground state and the first excitation in several symmetry channels. It is
shown that all the observed states are well described by their large
values, with modest corrections. In addition spurious states
are identified that couple to torelon and scattering operators. As a byproduct
of our calculation, the critical couplings for the deconfinement phase
transition for N=5 and N=7 and temporal extension of the lattice are
determined.Comment: 1+36 pages, 22 tables, 21 figures. Typos corrected, conclusions
unchanged, matches the published versio
Parameterized complexity of the MINCCA problem on graphs of bounded decomposability
In an edge-colored graph, the cost incurred at a vertex on a path when two
incident edges with different colors are traversed is called reload or
changeover cost. The "Minimum Changeover Cost Arborescence" (MINCCA) problem
consists in finding an arborescence with a given root vertex such that the
total changeover cost of the internal vertices is minimized. It has been
recently proved by G\"oz\"upek et al. [TCS 2016] that the problem is FPT when
parameterized by the treewidth and the maximum degree of the input graph. In
this article we present the following results for the MINCCA problem:
- the problem is W[1]-hard parameterized by the treedepth of the input graph,
even on graphs of average degree at most 8. In particular, it is W[1]-hard
parameterized by the treewidth of the input graph, which answers the main open
problem of G\"oz\"upek et al. [TCS 2016];
- it is W[1]-hard on multigraphs parameterized by the tree-cutwidth of the
input multigraph;
- it is FPT parameterized by the star tree-cutwidth of the input graph, which
is a slightly restricted version of tree-cutwidth. This result strictly
generalizes the FPT result given in G\"oz\"upek et al. [TCS 2016];
- it remains NP-hard on planar graphs even when restricted to instances with
at most 6 colors and 0/1 symmetric costs, or when restricted to instances with
at most 8 colors, maximum degree bounded by 4, and 0/1 symmetric costs.Comment: 25 pages, 11 figure
Simulational study of anomalous tracer diffusion in hydrogels
In this article, we analyze different factors that affect the diffusion
behavior of small tracer particles (as they are used e.g.in fluorescence
correlation spectroscopy (FCS)) in the polymer network of a hydrogel and
perform simulations of various simplified models. We observe, that under
certain circumstances the attraction of a tracer particle to the polymer
network strands might cause subdiffusive behavior on intermediate time scales.
In theory, this behavior could be employed to examine the network structure and
swelling behavior of weakly crosslinked hydrogels with the help of FCS.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figure
Baryonic symmetries and M5 branes in the AdS_4/CFT_3 correspondence
We study U(1) symmetries dual to Betti multiplets in the AdS_4/CFT_3
correspondence for M2 branes at Calabi-Yau four-fold singularities. Analysis of
the boundary conditions for vector fields in AdS_4 allows for a choice where
wrapped M5 brane states carrying non-zero charge under such symmetries can be
considered. We begin by focusing on isolated toric singularities without
vanishing six-cycles, and study in detail the cone over Q^{111}. The boundary
conditions considered are dual to a CFT where the gauge group is U(1)^2 x
SU(N)^4. We find agreement between the spectrum of gauge-invariant
baryonic-type operators in this theory and wrapped M5 brane states. Moreover,
the physics of vacua in which these symmetries are spontaneously broken
precisely matches a dual gravity analysis involving resolutions of the
singularity, where we are able to match condensates of the baryonic operators,
Goldstone bosons and global strings. We also argue more generally that theories
where the resolutions have six-cycles are expected to receive non-perturbative
corrections from M5 brane instantons. We give a general formula relating the
instanton action to normalizable harmonic two-forms, and compute it explicitly
for the Q^{222} example. The holographic interpretation of such instantons is
currently unclear.Comment: 92 pages, 10 figure
IFNβ Protects Neurons from Damage in a Murine Model of HIV-1 Associated Brain Injury.
Infection with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) causes brain injury. Type I interferons (IFNα/β) are critical mediators of any anti-viral immune response and IFNβ has been implicated in the temporary control of lentiviral infection in the brain. Here we show that transgenic mice expressing HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein 120 in their central nervous system (HIVgp120tg) mount a transient IFNβ response and provide evidence that IFNβ confers neuronal protection against HIVgp120 toxicity. In cerebrocortical cell cultures, neuroprotection by IFNβ against gp120 toxicity is dependent on IFNα receptor 1 (IFNAR1) and the β-chemokine CCL4, as IFNAR1 deficiency and neutralizing antibodies against CCL4, respectively, abolish the neuroprotective effects. We find in vivo that IFNβ mRNA is significantly increased in HIVgp120tg brains at 1.5, but not 3 or 6 months of age. However, a four-week intranasal IFNβ treatment of HIVgp120tg mice starting at 3.5 months of age increases expression of CCL4 and concomitantly protects neuronal dendrites and pre-synaptic terminals in cortex and hippocampus from gp120-induced damage. Moreover, in vivo and in vitro data suggests astrocytes are a major source of IFNβ-induced CCL4. Altogether, our results suggest exogenous IFNβ as a neuroprotective factor that has potential to ameliorate in vivo HIVgp120-induced brain injury
Comparison of the obstetric anesthesia activity index with total delivery numbers as a single denominator of workload demand in Israeli maternity units
Chemotactic response and adaptation dynamics in Escherichia coli
Adaptation of the chemotaxis sensory pathway of the bacterium Escherichia
coli is integral for detecting chemicals over a wide range of background
concentrations, ultimately allowing cells to swim towards sources of attractant
and away from repellents. Its biochemical mechanism based on methylation and
demethylation of chemoreceptors has long been known. Despite the importance of
adaptation for cell memory and behavior, the dynamics of adaptation are
difficult to reconcile with current models of precise adaptation. Here, we
follow time courses of signaling in response to concentration step changes of
attractant using in vivo fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements.
Specifically, we use a condensed representation of adaptation time courses for
efficient evaluation of different adaptation models. To quantitatively explain
the data, we finally develop a dynamic model for signaling and adaptation based
on the attractant flow in the experiment, signaling by cooperative receptor
complexes, and multiple layers of feedback regulation for adaptation. We
experimentally confirm the predicted effects of changing the enzyme-expression
level and bypassing the negative feedback for demethylation. Our data analysis
suggests significant imprecision in adaptation for large additions.
Furthermore, our model predicts highly regulated, ultrafast adaptation in
response to removal of attractant, which may be useful for fast reorientation
of the cell and noise reduction in adaptation.Comment: accepted for publication in PLoS Computational Biology; manuscript
(19 pages, 5 figures) and supplementary information; added additional
clarification on alternative adaptation models in supplementary informatio
Predicted Auxiliary Navigation Mechanism of Peritrichously Flagellated Chemotactic Bacteria
Chemotactic movement of Escherichia coli is one of the most thoroughly studied paradigms of simple behavior. Due to significant competitive advantage conferred by chemotaxis and to high evolution rates in bacteria, the chemotaxis system is expected to be strongly optimized. Bacteria follow gradients by performing temporal comparisons of chemoeffector concentrations along their runs, a strategy which is most efficient given their size and swimming speed. Concentration differences are detected by a sensory system and transmitted to modulate rotation of flagellar motors, decreasing the probability of a tumble and reorientation if the perceived concentration change during a run is positive. Such regulation of tumble probability is of itself sufficient to explain chemotactic drift of a population up the gradient, and is commonly assumed to be the only navigation mechanism of chemotactic E. coli. Here we use computer simulations to predict existence of an additional mechanism of gradient navigation in E. coli. Based on the experimentally observed dependence of cell tumbling angle on the number of switching motors, we suggest that not only the tumbling probability but also the degree of reorientation during a tumble depend on the swimming direction along the gradient. Although the difference in mean tumbling angles up and down the gradient predicted by our model is small, it results in a dramatic enhancement of the cellular drift velocity along the gradient. We thus demonstrate a new level of optimization in E. coli chemotaxis, which arises from the switching of several flagellar motors and a resulting fine tuning of tumbling angle. Similar strategy is likely to be used by other peritrichously flagellated bacteria, and indicates yet another level of evolutionary development of bacterial chemotaxis
Directed cell migration in the presence of obstacles
BACKGROUND: Chemotactic movement is a common feature of many cells and microscopic organisms. In vivo, chemotactic cells have to follow a chemotactic gradient and simultaneously avoid the numerous obstacles present in their migratory path towards the chemotactic source. It is not clear how cells detect and avoid obstacles, in particular whether they need a specialized biological mechanism to do so. RESULTS: We propose that cells can sense the presence of obstacles and avoid them because obstacles interfere with the chemical field. We build a model to test this hypothesis and find that this naturally enables efficient at-a-distance sensing to be achieved with no need for a specific and active obstacle-sensing mechanism. We find that (i) the efficiency of obstacle avoidance depends strongly on whether the chemotactic chemical reacts or remains unabsorbed at the obstacle surface. In particular, it is found that chemotactic cells generally avoid absorbing barriers much more easily than non-absorbing ones. (ii) The typically low noise in a cell's motion hinders the ability to avoid obstacles. We also derive an expression estimating the typical distance traveled by chemotactic cells in a 3D random distribution of obstacles before capture; this is a measure of the distance over which chemotaxis is viable as a means of directing cells from one point to another in vivo. CONCLUSION: Chemotactic cells, in many cases, can avoid obstacles by simply following the spatially perturbed chemical gradients around obstacles. It is thus unlikely that they have developed specialized mechanisms to cope with environments having low to moderate concentrations of obstacles
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