530 research outputs found
Sensory neuron lineage mapping and manipulation in the Drosophila olfactory system.
Nervous systems exhibit myriad cell types, but understanding how this diversity arises is hampered by the difficulty to visualize and genetically-probe specific lineages, especially at early developmental stages prior to expression of unique molecular markers. Here, we use a genetic immortalization method to analyze the development of sensory neuron lineages in the Drosophila olfactory system, from their origin to terminal differentiation. We apply this approach to define a fate map of nearly all olfactory lineages and refine the model of temporal patterns of lineage divisions. Taking advantage of a selective marker for the lineage that gives rise to Or67d pheromone-sensing neurons and a genome-wide transcription factor RNAi screen, we identify the spatial and temporal requirements for Pointed, an ETS family member, in this developmental pathway. Transcriptomic analysis of wild-type and Pointed-depleted olfactory tissue reveals a universal requirement for this factor as a switch-like determinant of fates in these sensory lineages
Nonsolar astronomy with the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI)
The Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) is a NASA Small Explorer satellite designed to study hard x-ray and gamma-ray emission from solar flares. In addition, its high-resolution array of germanium detectors can see photons from high-energy sources throughout the Universe. Here we discuss the various algorithms necessary to extract spectra, lightcurves, and other information about cosmic gamma-ray bursts, pulsars, and other astrophysical phenomena using an unpointed, spinning array of detectors. We show some preliminary results and discuss our plans for future analyses. All RHESSI data are public, and scientists interested in participating should contact the principal author
Observations of the Prompt Gamma-Ray Emission of GRB 070125
The long, bright gamma-ray burst GRB 070125 was localized by the
Interplanetary Network. We present light curves of the prompt gamma-ray
emission as observed by Konus-WIND, RHESSI, Suzaku-WAM, and \textit{Swift}-BAT.
We detail the results of joint spectral fits with Konus and RHESSI data. The
burst shows moderate hard-to-soft evolution in its multi-peaked emission over a
period of about one minute. The total burst fluence as observed by Konus is
erg/cm (20 keV--10 MeV). Using the spectroscopic
redshift , we find that the burst is consistent with the ``Amati''
correlation. Assuming a jet opening angle derived from
broadband modeling of the burst afterglow, GRB 070125 is a significant outlier
to the ``Ghirlanda'' correlation. Its
collimation-corrected energy release ergs is
the largest yet observed.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figures; accepted for publication in ApJ. Improved
spectral fits and energetics estimate
Magneto-optical Kerr effect in
We have measured the magneto-optical Kerr rotation of ferromagnetic
with x=0.2 and 0.4, as well as of serving as
the non-magnetic reference material. As previously for , we could
identify a feature at 1 in the Kerr response which is related with
electronic transitions involving the localized 4f electron states. The absence
of this feature in the data for confirms the relevance of the
partially occupied 4f states in shaping the magneto-optical features of
-based hexaborides. Disorder by -doping broadens the itinerant charge
carrier contribution to the magneto-optical spectra
Symmetry-dependent Mn-magnetism in Al69.8Pd12.1Mn18.1
Abstract.: We investigated the stability of magnetic moments in Al69.8Pd12.1Mn18.1. This alloy exists in both, the icosahedral (i) and the decagonal (d) quasicrystalline form. The transition from the i- to the d-phase is achieved by a simple heat treatment. We present the results of measurements of the 27Al NMR-response, the dc magnetic susceptibility, and the low-temperature specific heat of both phases. In the icosahedral compound, the majority of the Mn ions carries a magnetic moment. Their number is reduced by approximately a factor of two by transforming the alloy to its decagonal variety. For both compounds, we have indications for two different local environments of the Al nuclei. The first reflects a low density of states of conduction electrons and a weak coupling of the Al nuclei to the Mn-moments. The second type of environment implies a large d-electron density of states at the Fermi level and a strong coupling to the magnetic Mn moments. Spin-glass freezing transitions are observed at Tdecaf=12K for the decagonal, and Ticof=19 K for the icosahedral phas
The Minds of God, Mortals, and In-betweens: Children's Developing Understanding of Extraordinary and Ordinary Minds across Four Countries
Several theory-of-mind (ToM) studies have explored how children differentiate ordinary minds (humans, dogs) and extraordinary minds (God, spirits), but these studies have yielded divergent results and interpretations and have not offered cross-cultural comparisons of samples. To address these limitations, children (3-5 years old) in four different countries (United Kingdom, Israel, Dominican Republic, and Kenya) were given a knowledge-ignorance ToM task and asked to reason about the minds of various ordinary and extraordinary minds, depending upon the culture. All children were asked about a human and God. Results revealed within-group differences based upon age for the human and for God for some samples, but not all; and results showed between-group differences for how children treated God’s mind and human minds (as well as other extraordinary minds). The within-group different response patterns across age is not surprising if ToM is considered a developmental accomplishment, improving with age. But the differences in response patterns between samples points to a larger role culture plays for children’s understandings of extraordinary minds such as God’s
Brownian Simulations and Uni-Directional Flux in Diffusion
Brownian dynamics simulations require the connection of a small discrete
simulation volume to large baths that are maintained at fixed concentrations
and voltages. The continuum baths are connected to the simulation through
interfaces, located in the baths sufficiently far from the channel. Average
boundary concentrations have to be maintained at their values in the baths by
injecting and removing particles at the interfaces. The particles injected into
the simulation volume represent a unidirectional diffusion flux, while the
outgoing particles represent the unidirectional flux in the opposite direction.
The classical diffusion equation defines net diffusion flux, but not
unidirectional fluxes. The stochastic formulation of classical diffusion in
terms of the Wiener process leads to a Wiener path integral, which can split
the net flux into unidirectional fluxes. These unidirectional fluxes are
infinite, though the net flux is finite and agrees with classical theory. We
find that the infinite unidirectional flux is an artifact caused by replacing
the Langevin dynamics with its Smoluchowski approximation, which is classical
diffusion. The Smoluchowski approximation fails on time scales shorter than the
relaxation time of the Langevin equation. We find the unidirectional
flux (source strength) needed to maintain average boundary concentrations in a
manner consistent with the physics of Brownian particles. This unidirectional
flux is proportional to the concentration and inversely proportional to
to leading order. We develop a BD simulation that maintains
fixed average boundary concentrations in a manner consistent with the actual
physics of the interface and without creating spurious boundary layers
Joint analysis of resident complaints, meteorological, acoustic, and ground motion data to establish a robust annoyance evaluation of wind turbine emissions
In order to advance the expansion of onshore wind energy, wind turbines (WTs) must be erected in often complex terrain. The orography and the associated meteorological conditions, as well as the complex propagation of sound and ground motion waves can lead to increased annoyance of residents.
Here a joint investigation of residential noise reports, meteorological, acoustic and ground motion data together with operational parameters of a wind farm in southern Germany is presented, with the objective to assess the annoyance of residents affected by WT emissions. Once strongly annoyed residents had been identified, simultaneous measurements were conducted over a 2-month period while residents used a noise reporting app to document their annoyance. A combination of the data shows that WT-related signals can be detected by acoustic and ground motion measurements in the vicinity of the WTs and, to a lesser extent, at the residential sites. In addition, background noise can be identified well. The app data indicates higher complaint rates in the early morning, evening and night hours. Changes in rotation rate seem to be the cause of annoyance as well as high rotation rates. These findings can be used to adjust WT operation in order to decrease immissions
Cortical miR-709 links glutamatergic signaling to NREM sleep EEG slow waves in an activity-dependent manner.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression that have been implicated in a plethora of neuronal processes. Nevertheless, their role in regulating brain activity in the context of sleep has so far received little attention. To test their involvement, we deleted mature miRNAs in post-mitotic neurons at two developmental ages, i.e., in early adulthood using conditional Dicer knockout (cKO) mice and in adult mice using an inducible conditional Dicer cKO (icKO) line. In both models, electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was affected and the response to sleep deprivation (SD) altered; while the rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) rebound was compromised in both, the increase in EEG delta (1 to 4 Hz) power during non-REMS (NREMS) was smaller in cKO mice and larger in icKO mice compared to controls. We subsequently investigated the effects of SD on the forebrain miRNA transcriptome and found that the expression of 48 miRNAs was affected, and in particular that of the activity-dependent miR-709. In vivo inhibition of miR-709 in the brain increased EEG power during NREMS in the slow-delta (0.75 to 1.75 Hz) range, particularly after periods of prolonged wakefulness. Transcriptome analysis of primary cortical neurons in vitro revealed that miR-709 regulates genes involved in glutamatergic neurotransmission. A subset of these genes was also affected in the cortices of sleep-deprived, miR-709-inhibited mice. Our data implicate miRNAs in the regulation of EEG activity and indicate that miR-709 links neuronal activity during wakefulness to brain synchrony during sleep through the regulation of glutamatergic signaling
Lorentz violating electrodynamics
After summarizing the most interesting results in the calculation of
synchrotron radiation in the Myers-Pospelov effective model for Lorentz
invariance violating (LIV) electrodynamics, we present a general unified way of
describing the radiation regime of LIV electrodynamics which include the
following three different models : Gambini-Pullin, Ellis et al. and
Myers-Pospelov. Such unification reduces to the standard approach of radiation
in a dispersive and absortive (in general) medium with a given index of
refraction. The formulation is presented up to second order in the LIV
parameter and it is explicitly applied to the synchrotron radiation case.Comment: 11 pages, extended version of the talk given by L.F. Urrutia in the
VI Mexican School: Approaches to Quantum Gravity, Playa del Carmen, Mexico,
Nov. 2004. Minor chages in the text and added reference
- …