860 research outputs found
Molecular basis for the hormonal regulation of the tyrosine aminotransferase and tryptophane oxygenase genes
Tracking Cooper Pairs in a Cuprate Superconductor by Ultrafast Angle-Resolved Photoemission
In high-temperature superconductivity, the process that leads to the
formation of Cooper pairs, the fundamental charge carriers in any
superconductor, remains mysterious. We use a femtosecond laser pump pulse to
perturb superconducting Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+{\delta}, and study subsequent dynamics
using time- and angle-resolved photoemission and infrared reflectivity probes.
Gap and quasiparticle population dynamics reveal marked dependencies on both
excitation density and crystal momentum. Close to the d-wave nodes, the
superconducting gap is sensitive to the pump intensity and Cooper pairs
recombine slowly. Far from the nodes pumping affects the gap only weakly and
recombination processes are faster. These results demonstrate a new window into
the dynamical processes that govern quasiparticle recombination and gap
formation in cuprates.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figure
Angular hadron correlations probing the early medium evolution
Hard processes are a well calibrated probe to study heavy-ion collisions.
However, the information to be gained from the nuclear suppression factor R_AA
is limited, hene one has to study more differential observables to do medium
tomography. The angular correlations of hadrons associated with a hard trigger
appear suitable as they show a rich pattern when going from low p_T to high
p_T. Of prime interest is the fate of away side partons with an in-medium
pathlength O(several fm). At high p_T the correlations become dominated by the
punchtrough of the away side parton with subsequent fragmentation. We discuss
what information about the medium density can be gained from the data.Comment: Talk given at the 19th International Conference on Ultrarelativistic
Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions: Quark Matter 2006 (QM 2006), Shanghai, China,
14-20 Nov 200
Nemo: a computational tool for analyzing nematode locomotion
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans responds to an impressive range of
chemical, mechanical and thermal stimuli and is extensively used to investigate
the molecular mechanisms that mediate chemosensation, mechanotransduction and
thermosensation. The main behavioral output of these responses is manifested as
alterations in animal locomotion. Monitoring and examination of such
alterations requires tools to capture and quantify features of nematode
movement. In this paper, we introduce Nemo (nematode movement), a
computationally efficient and robust two-dimensional object tracking algorithm
for automated detection and analysis of C. elegans locomotion. This algorithm
enables precise measurement and feature extraction of nematode movement
components. In addition, we develop a Graphical User Interface designed to
facilitate processing and interpretation of movement data. While, in this
study, we focus on the simple sinusoidal locomotion of C. elegans, our approach
can be readily adapted to handle complicated locomotory behaviour patterns by
including additional movement characteristics and parameters subject to
quantification. Our software tool offers the capacity to extract, analyze and
measure nematode locomotion features by processing simple video files. By
allowing precise and quantitative assessment of behavioral traits, this tool
will assist the genetic dissection and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms
underlying specific behavioral responses.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures. accepted by BMC Neuroscience 2007, 8:8
Mach Cones in Quark Gluon Plasma
The experimental azimuthal dihadron distributions at RHIC show a double peak
structure in the away side ( rad.) for intermediate
particles. A variety of models have appeared trying to describe this
modification. We will review most of them, with special emphasis in the Conical
Flow scenario in which the observed shape is a consequence of the emission of
sound by a supersonic high momentum particle propagating in the Quark Gluon
Plasma.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, Invited plenary talk given at the 19th
International Conference on Ultrarelativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions:
Quark Matter 2006 (QM 2006), Shanghai, China, 14-20 Nov 200
‘Get yourself some nice, neat, matching box files’: research administrators and occupational identity work
To date, qualitative research into occupational groups and cultures within academia has been relatively scarce, with an almost exclusive concentration upon teaching staff within universities and colleges. This article seeks to address this lacuna and applies the interactionist concept of ‘identity work’ in order to examine one specific group to date under-researched: graduate research administrators.
This occupational group is of sociological interest as many of its members appear to span the putative divide between ‘academic’ and ‘administrative’ occupational worlds within higher education. An exploratory, qualitative research project was undertaken, based upon interviews with
27 research administrators. The study analyses how research administrators utilise various forms of identity work to sustain credible occupational identities, often in the face of considerable challenge from their academic colleagues
Selective targeting of activating and inhibitory Smads by distinct WWP2 ubiquitin ligase isoforms differentially modulates TGFβ signalling and EMT
Ubiquitin-dependent mechanisms have emerged as essential regulatory elements controlling cellular levels of Smads and TGFß-dependent biological outputs such as epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). In this study, we identify a HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase known as WWP2 (Full-length WWP2-FL), together with two WWP2 isoforms (N-terminal, WWP2-N; C-terminal WWP2-C), as novel Smad-binding partners. We show that WWP2-FL interacts exclusively with Smad2, Smad3 and Smad7 in the TGFß pathway. Interestingly, the WWP2-N isoform interacts with Smad2 and Smad3, whereas WWP2-C interacts only with Smad7. In addition, WWP2-FL and WWP2-C have a preference for Smad7 based on protein turnover and ubiquitination studies. Unexpectedly, we also find that WWP2-N, which lacks the HECT ubiquitin ligase domain, can also interact with WWP2-FL in a TGFß-regulated manner and activate endogenous WWP2 ubiquitin ligase activity causing degradation of unstimulated Smad2 and Smad3. Consistent with our protein interaction data, overexpression and knockdown approaches reveal that WWP2 isoforms differentially modulate TGFß-dependent transcription and EMT. Finally, we show that selective disruption of WWP2 interactions with inhibitory Smad7 can stabilise Smad7 protein levels and prevent TGFß-induced EMT. Collectively, our data suggest that WWP2-N can stimulate WWP2-FL leading to increased activity against unstimulated Smad2 and Smad3, and that Smad7 is a preferred substrate for WWP2-FL and WWP2-C following prolonged TGFß stimulation. Significantly, this is the first report of an interdependent biological role for distinct HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase isoforms, and highlights an entirely novel regulatory paradigm that selectively limits the level of inhibitory and activating Smads
Non-Equilibrium in Adsorbed Polymer Layers
High molecular weight polymer solutions have a powerful tendency to deposit
adsorbed layers when exposed to even mildly attractive surfaces. The
equilibrium properties of these dense interfacial layers have been extensively
studied theoretically. A large body of experimental evidence, however,
indicates that non-equilibrium effects are dominant whenever monomer-surface
sticking energies are somewhat larger than kT, a common case. Polymer
relaxation kinetics within the layer are then severely retarded, leading to
non-equilibrium layers whose structure and dynamics depend on adsorption
kinetics and layer ageing. Here we review experimental and theoretical work
exploring these non-equilibrium effects, with emphasis on recent developments.
The discussion addresses the structure and dynamics in non-equilibrium polymer
layers adsorbed from dilute polymer solutions and from polymer melts and more
concentrated solutions. Two distinct classes of behaviour arise, depending on
whether physisorption or chemisorption is involved. A given adsorbed chain
belonging to the layer has a certain fraction of its monomers bound to the
surface, f, and the remainder belonging to loops making bulk excursions. A
natural classification scheme for layers adsorbed from solution is the
distribution of single chain f values, P(f), which may hold the key to
quantifying the degree of irreversibility in adsorbed polymer layers. Here we
calculate P(f) for equilibrium layers; we find its form is very different to
the theoretical P(f) for non-equilibrium layers which are predicted to have
infinitely many statistical classes of chain. Experimental measurements of P(f)
are compared to these theoretical predictions.Comment: 29 pages, Submitted to J. Phys.: Condens. Matte
Quark-Gluon Matter
A concise review of the experimental and phenomenological progress in
high-energy heavy-ion physics over the past few years is presented. Emphasis is
put on measurements at BNL-RHIC and CERN-SPS which provide information on
fundamental properties of QCD matter at extreme values of temperature, density
and low-x. The new opportunities accessible at the LHC, which may help clarify
some of the current open issues, are also outlined.Comment: Minor changes to text. New refs. included. Updated figures with final
dat
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