935 research outputs found
Barnes maze test for spatial memory: A new, sensitive scoring system for mouse search strategies
The Barnes maze is a task used to assess spatial learning and memory in rodents. It requires animals to learn the position of a hole that can be used as an escape from a bright and open arena. The often-used parameters of latency and path length to measure learning and memory do not reflect the different navigation strategies chosen by the animals. Here, we propose an 11-point scoring scheme to classify the search strategies developed by the animals during the initial training as well as after the change of the escape target to a new position. Strategy scores add an important dimension to time and path length to assess the behavior in this popular maze
Orientational transitions in a nematic confined by competing surfaces
The effect of confinement on the orientational structure of a nematic liquid
crystal model has been investigated by using a version of density-functional
theory (DFT). We have focused on the case of a nematic confined by opposing
flat surfaces, in slab geometry (slit pore), which favor planar molecular
alignment (parallel to the surface) and homeotropic alignment (perpendicular to
the surface), respectively. The spatial dependence of the tilt angle of the
director with respect to the surface normal has been studied, as well as the
tensorial order parameter describing the molecular order around the director.
For a pore of given width, we find that, for weak surface fields, the alignment
of the nematic director is perpendicular to the surface in a region next to the
surface favoring homeotropic alignment, and parallel along the rest of the
pore, with a interface separating these regions (S phase). For strong surface
fields, the director is distorted uniformly, the tilt angle exhibiting a linear
dependence with the distance normal to the surface (L phase). Our calculations
reveal the existence of a first-order transition between the two director
configurations, which is driven by changes in the surface field strength, and
also by changes in the pore width. In the latter case the transition occurs,
for a given surface field, between the S phase for narrow pores and the L phase
for wider pores. A link between the L-S transition and the anchoring transition
observed for the semi-infinite case is proposed. We also provide calculations
with a phenomenological approach that yields the same main result that DFT in
the scale length where this is valid.Comment: submitted to PR
Standard and Embedded Solitons in Nematic Optical Fibers
A model for a non-Kerr cylindrical nematic fiber is presented. We use the
multiple scales method to show the possibility of constructing different kinds
of wavepackets of transverse magnetic (TM) modes propagating through the fiber.
This procedure allows us to generate different hierarchies of nonlinear partial
differential equations (PDEs) which describe the propagation of optical pulses
along the fiber. We go beyond the usual weakly nonlinear limit of a Kerr medium
and derive an extended Nonlinear Schrodinger equation (eNLS) with a third order
derivative nonlinearity, governing the dynamics for the amplitude of the
wavepacket. In this derivation the dispersion, self-focussing and diffraction
in the nematic are taken into account. Although the resulting nonlinear
may be reduced to the modified Korteweg de Vries equation (mKdV), it also has
additional complex solutions which include two-parameter families of bright and
dark complex solitons. We show analytically that under certain conditions, the
bright solitons are actually double embedded solitons. We explain why these
solitons do not radiate at all, even though their wavenumbers are contained in
the linear spectrum of the system. Finally, we close the paper by making
comments on the advantages as well as the limitations of our approach, and on
further generalizations of the model and method presented.Comment: "Physical Review E, in press
A Placenta Derived C-Terminal Fragment of beta-Hemoglobin With Combined Antibacterial and Antiviral Activity
Three-body structure of low-lying 18Ne states
We investigate to what extent 18Ne can be descibed as a three-body system
made of an inert 16O-core and two protons. We compare to experimental data and
occasionally to shell model results. We obtain three-body wave functions with
the hyperspherical adiabatic expansion method. We study the spectrum of 18Ne,
the structure of the different states and the predominant transition strengths.
Two 0+, two 2+, and one 4+ bound states are found where they are all known
experimentally. Also one 3+ close to threshold is found and several negative
parity states, 1-, 3-, 0-, 2-, most of them bound with respect to the 16O
excited 3- state. The structures are extracted as partial wave components, as
spatial sizes of matter and charge, and as probability distributions.
Electromagnetic decay rates are calculated for these states. The dominating
decay mode for the bound states is E2 and occasionally also M1.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures (version to appear in EPJA
Global methylome scores correlate with histological subtypes of colorectal carcinoma and show different associations with common clinical and molecular features
Background. The typical methylation patterns associated with cancer are hypermethylation at gene promoters and global genome hypomethylation. Aberrant CpG island hypermethylation at promoter regions and global genome hypomethylation have not been associated with histological colorectal carcinomas (CRC) subsets. Using Illuminaâs 450 k Infinium Human Methylation beadchip, the methylome of 82 CRCs were analyzed, comprising different histological subtypes: 40 serrated adenocarcinomas (SAC), 32 conventional carcinomas (CC) and 10 CRCs showing histological and molecular features of microsatellite instability (hmMSIâH), and, additionally, 35 normal adjacent mucosae. Scores reflecting the overall methylation at 250 bp, 1 kb and 2 kb from the transcription starting site (TSS) were studied. Results. SAC has an intermediate methylation pattern between CC and hmMSIâH for the three genome locations. In addition, the shift from promoter hypermethylation to genomic hypomethylation occurs at a small sequence between 250 bp and 1 Kb from the gene TSS, and an asymmetric distribution of methylation was observed between both sides of the CpG islands (N vs. S shores). Conclusion. These findings show that different histological subtypes of CRC have a particular global methylation pattern depending on sequence distance to TSS and highlight the so far underestimated importance of CpGs aberrantly hypomethylated in the clinical phenotype of CRCs.This work was supported by two grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio
de Sanidad, Spain and FEDER funds (refs: PI12-1232, PI18-0144) and another from the European
Unionâs Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (ref. 848098
Superconductivity in the YIr2Si2 and LaIr2Si2 Polymorphs
We report on existence of superconductivity in YIr2Si2 and LaIr2Si2 compounds
in relation to crystal structure. The two compounds crystallize in two
structural polymorphs, both tetragonal. The high temperature polymorph (HTP)
adopts the CaBe2Ge2-structure type (space group P4/nmm) while the low
temperature polymorph (LTP) is of the ThCr2Si2 type (I4/mmm). By studying
polycrystals prepared by arc melting we have observed that the rapidly cooled
samples retain the HTP even at room temperature (RT) and below. Annealing such
samples at 900C followed by slow cooling to RT provides the LTP. Both, the HTP
and LTP were subsequently studied with respect to magnetism and
superconductivity by electrical resistivity, magnetization, AC susceptibility
and specific heat measurements. The HTP and LTP of both compounds respectively,
behave as Pauli paramagnets. Superconductivity has been found exclusively in
the HTP of both compounds below Tsc (= 2.52 K in YIr2Si2 and 1.24 K in
LaIr2Si2). The relations of magnetism and superconductivity with the electronic
and crystal structure are discussed with comparing experimental data with the
results of first principles electronic structure calculations
A High-Gradient Test of a 30 GHz Molybdenum-Iris Structure
The CLIC study is actively investigating a number of different materials in an effort to find ways to increase achievable accelerating gradient. So far a series of rf tests have been made with a set of identical-geometry structures: a W-iris 30 GHz structure, a Mo-iris 30 GHz structure (with pulses as long as 16 ns) and a scaled Mo-iris X-band structure. A second Mo-iris 30 GHz structure of the same geometry has now been tested in CTF3 with pulse lengths up to 350 ns. The structure was conditioned to a gradient of 140 MV/m with a 70 ns pulse length and a breakdown rate slope of 13 MV/m per decade has been measure
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