Collective synchronization in populations of globally coupled phase oscillators with drifting frequencies

We generalize the Kuramoto model for coupled phase oscillators by allowing the frequencies to drift in time according to Ornstein-Uhlenbeck dynamics. Such drifting frequencies were recently measured in cellular populations of circadian oscillator and inspired our work. Linear stability analysis of the Fokker-Planck equation for an infinite population is amenable to exact solution and we show that the incoherent state is unstable passed a critical coupling strength K_c(\ga, \sigf), where \ga is the inverse characteristic drifting time and \sigf the asymptotic frequency dispersion. Expectedly $K_c$ agrees with the noisy Kuramoto model in the large \ga (Schmolukowski) limit but increases slower as \ga decreases. Asymptotic expansion of the solution for \ga\to 0 shows that the noiseless Kuramoto model with Gaussian frequency distribution is recovered in that limit. Thus varying a single parameter allows to interpolate smoothly between two regimes: one dominated by the frequency dispersion and the other by phase diffusion.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev.

Dynamical Generation of CKM Mixings by Broken Horizontal Gauge Interactions

The fermion mass matrices are calculated in the framework of the dynamical mass generation by the broken horizontal gauge interactions. The non-proportional mass spectra between up- and down-sectors and CKM mixings are obtained solely by radiative corrections due to the ordinary gauge interactions.Comment: 20 pages + 1 uuencoded eps figure, PHYZZ

A Complete Perturbative Expansion for Constrained Quantum Dynamics

A complete perturbative expansion for the Hamiltonian describing the motion of a quantomechanical system constrained to move on an arbitrary submanifold of its configuration space $R^n$ is obtained.Comment: 18 pages, LaTe

Measurement of the Xi-p Scattering Cross Sections at Low Energy

In this paper we report cross-section measurements for $\Xi^-p$ elastic and inelastic scatterings at low energy using a scintillating fiber active target. Upper limit on the total cross-section for the elastic scattering was found to be 24 mb at 90% confidence level, and the total cross section for the $\Xi^-p\to\Lambda\Lambda$ reaction was found to be $4.3^{+6.3}_{-2.7}$ mb. We compare the results with currently competing theoretical estimates.Comment: 9 page

Identification of a micropeptide and multiple secondary cell genes that modulate <i>Drosophila</i> male reproductive success

Even in well-characterized genomes, many transcripts are considered noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) simply due to the absence of large open reading frames (ORFs). However, it is now becoming clear that many small ORFs (smORFs) produce peptides with important biological functions. In the process of characterizing the ribosome-bound transcriptome of an important cell type of the seminal fluid-producing accessory gland of Drosophila melanogaster, we detected an RNA, previously thought to be noncoding, called male-specific abdominal (msa). Notably, msa is nested in the HOX gene cluster of the Bithorax complex and is known to contain a micro-RNA within one of its introns. We find that this RNA encodes a "micropeptide" (9 or 20 amino acids, MSAmiP) that is expressed exclusively in the secondary cells of the male accessory gland, where it seems to accumulate in nuclei. Importantly, loss of function of this micropeptide causes defects in sperm competition. In addition to bringing insights into the biology of a rare cell type, this work underlines the importance of small peptides, a class of molecules that is now emerging as important actors in complex biological processes

Doping Dependence of the Electronic Structure of Ba_{1-x}K_{x}BiO_{3} Studied by X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy

We have performed x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) studies of single crystal Ba_{1-x}K_{x}BiO_{3} (BKBO) covering the whole composition range $0 \leq x \leq 0.60$. Several features in the oxygen 1\textit{s} core XAS spectra show systematic changes with $x$. Spectral weight around the absorption threshold increases with hole doping and shows a finite jump between $x=0.30$ and 0.40, which signals the metal-insulator transition. We have compared the obtained results with band-structure calculations. Comparison with the XAS results of BaPb_{1-x}Bi_{x}O_{3} has revealed quite different doping dependences between BKBO and BPBO. We have also observed systematic core-level shifts in the XPS spectra as well as in the XAS threshold as functions of $x$, which can be attributed to a chemical potential shift accompanying the hole doping. The observed chemical potential shift is found to be slower than that predicted by the rigid band model based on the band-structure calculations.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures include

Schwann-Spheres Derived from Injured Peripheral Nerves in Adult Mice - Their In Vitro Characterization and Therapeutic Potential

Multipotent somatic stem cells have been identified in various adult tissues. However, the stem/progenitor cells of the peripheral nerves have been isolated only from fetal tissues. Here, we isolated Schwann-cell precursors/immature Schwann cells from the injured peripheral nerves of adult mice using a floating culture technique that we call “Schwann-spheres." The Schwann-spheres were derived from de-differentiated mature Schwann cells harvested 24 hours to 6 weeks after peripheral nerve injury. They had extensive self-renewal and differentiation capabilities. They strongly expressed the immature-Schwann-cell marker p75, and differentiated only into the Schwann-cell lineage. The spheres showed enhanced myelin formation and neurite growth compared to mature Schwann cells in vitro. Mature Schwann cells have been considered a promising candidate for cell-transplantation therapies to repair the damaged nervous system, whereas these “Schwann-spheres" would provide a more potential autologous cell source for such transplantation

Enteric Neurospheres Are Not Specific to Neural Crest Cultures: Implications for Neural Stem Cell Therapies

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited

Coupling of a Core Post-Translational Pacemaker to a Slave Transcription/Translation Feedback Loop in a Circadian System

Analysis of the cyanobacterial circadian biological clock reveals a complex interdependence between a transcription/translation feedback loop and a biochemical oscillator

Synchronization of Circadian Per2 Rhythms and HSF1-BMAL1:CLOCK Interaction in Mouse Fibroblasts after Short-Term Heat Shock Pulse

Circadian rhythms are the general physiological processes of adaptation to daily environmental changes, such as the temperature cycle. A change in temperature is a resetting cue for mammalian circadian oscillators, which are possibly regulated by the heat shock (HS) pathway. The HS response (HSR) is a universal process that provides protection against stressful conditions, which promote protein-denaturation. Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is essential for HSR. In the study presented here, we investigated whether a short-term HS pulse can reset circadian rhythms. Circadian Per2 rhythm and HSF1-mediated gene expression were monitored by a real-time bioluminescence assay for mPer2 promoter-driven luciferase and HS element (HSE; HSF1-binding site)-driven luciferase activity, respectively. By an optimal duration HS pulse (43°C for approximately 30 minutes), circadian Per2 rhythm was observed in the whole mouse fibroblast culture, probably indicating the synchronization of the phases of each cell. This rhythm was preceded by an acute elevation in mPer2 and HSF1-mediated gene expression. Mutations in the two predicted HSE sites adjacent (one of them proximally) to the E-box in the mPer2 promoter dramatically abolished circadian mPer2 rhythm. Circadian Per2 gene/protein expression was not observed in HSF1-deficient cells. These findings demonstrate that HSF1 is essential to the synchronization of circadian rhythms by the HS pulse. Importantly, the interaction between HSF1 and BMAL1:CLOCK heterodimer, a central circadian transcription factor, was observed after the HS pulse. These findings reveal that even a short-term HS pulse can reset circadian rhythms and cause the HSF1-BMAL1:CLOCK interaction, suggesting the pivotal role of crosstalk between the mammalian circadian and HSR systems