356 research outputs found
Erratum to ?Cell directional persistence and chemotaxis in vascular morphogenesis? [Bull. Math. Biol. 66 (2004) 1851?1873]
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Markov chain Monte Carlo analyses of the flux ratios of B, Be and Li with the DRAGON2 code
Recent cosmic-ray measurements are challenging our models of propagation in
the Galaxy. A good characterization of the secondary cosmic rays (B, Be, Li and
sub-iron species) is crucial to constrain these models and exploit the
precision of modern CR experiments. In this work, a Markov chain Monte Carlo
analysis has been implemented to fit the experimental flux ratios between B, Be
and Li and their flux ratios to the primary nuclei C and O. We have fitted the
data using two different parametrizations for the spallation cross sections.
The uncertainties in the evaluation of the spectra of these secondary cosmic
rays, due to spallation cross sections, have been considered by introducing
scale factors as nuisance parameters. We have also tested two different
formulations for the diffusion coefficient, which differ in the origin of the
high energy hardening of cosmic rays. Additionally, two different approaches
are used to scale the cross sections, one based on a combined analysis of all
the species ("combined" analysis) and the other reproducing the high energy
spectra of the secondary-to-secondary flux ratios of Be/B, Li/B, Li/Be
("scaled" analysis). This allows us to make a better comparison between the
propagation parameters inferred from the cross sections parametrizations tested
in this work. This novel analysis has been successfully implemented using the
numerical code DRAGON2 to reproduce the cosmic-ray nuclei data up to
from the AMS-02 experiment. It is found that the ratios of Li favor a harder
spectral index of the diffusion coefficient, but compatible with the other
ratios inside the observed uncertainties. In addition, it is shown
that, including these scale factors, the secondary-to-primary flux ratios can
be simultaneously reproduced.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures, 9 table
Rhomboid-like-2 intramembrane protease mediates metalloprotease-independent regulation of cadherins
Optimality in Self-Organized Molecular Sorting
We introduce a simple physical picture to explain the process of molecular sorting, whereby specific proteins are concentrated and distilled into submicrometric lipid vesicles in eukaryotic cells. To this purpose, we formulate a model based on the coupling of spontaneous molecular aggregation with vesicle nucleation. Its implications are studied by means of a phenomenological theory describing the diffusion of molecules toward multiple sorting centers that grow due to molecule absorption and are extracted when they reach a sufficiently large size. The predictions of the theory are compared with numerical simulations of a lattice-gas realization of the model and with experimental observations. The efficiency of the distillation process is found to be optimal for intermediate aggregation rates, where the density of sorted molecules is minimal and the process obeys simple scaling laws. Quantitative measures of endocytic sorting performed in primary endothelial cells are compatible with the hypothesis that these optimal conditions are realized in living cells
FLUKA cross sections for cosmic-ray interactions with the DRAGON2 code
Secondary particles produced in spallation reactions of cosmic rays with the interstellar gas provide valuable information that allow us to investigate the injection and transport of charged particles in the Galaxy. A good understanding of the cross sections of production of these particles is crucial to correctly interpret our models, although the existing experimental data is very scarce and uncertain. We have developed a new set of cross sections, both inelastic and inclusive, computed with the FLUKA Monte Carlo nuclear code and tested its compatibility with CR data. Inelastic and inclusive cross sections have been compared to the most up-to-date data and parameterisations finding a general good agreement. Then, these cross sections have been implemented in the DRAGON2 code to characterize the spectra of CR nuclei up to Z = 26 and the secondary-to-primary ratios of B, Be and Li. Interestingly, we find that the FLUKA cross sections allow us to predict an energy-dependence of the B, Be and Li flux ratios which is compatible with AMS-02 data and to reproduce simultaneously these flux ratios with a scaling lower than 20%. Finally, we implement the cross sections of production of gamma rays, calculated with FLUKA, in the Gammasky code and compute diffuse gamma-ray sky maps and the local HI emissivity spectrum, finding a very good agreement with Fermi Large Area Telescope data
FLUKA cross sections for cosmic-ray interactions with the DRAGON2 code
Secondary particles produced in spallation reactions of cosmic rays with the interstellar gas provide valuable information that allow us to investigate the injection and transport of charged particles in the Galaxy. A good understanding of the cross sections of production of these particles is crucial to correctly interpret our models, although the existing experimental data is very scarce and uncertain. We have developed a new set of cross sections, both inelastic and inclusive, computed with the FLUKA Monte Carlo nuclear code and tested its compatibility with CR data. Inelastic and inclusive cross sections have been compared to the most up-to-date data and parameterisations finding a general good agreement. Then, these cross sections have been implemented in the DRAGON2 code to characterize the spectra of CR nuclei up to Z = 26 and the secondary-to-primary ratios of B, Be and Li. Interestingly, we find that the FLUKA cross sections allow us to predict an energy-dependence of the B, Be and Li flux ratios which is compatible with AMS-02 data and to reproduce simultaneously these flux ratios with a scaling lower than 20%. Finally, we implement the cross sections of production of gamma rays, calculated with FLUKA, in the Gammasky code and compute diffuse gamma-ray sky maps and the local HI emissivity spectrum, finding a very good agreement with Fermi Large Area Telescope data
Percolation, Morphogenesis, and Burgers Dynamics in Blood Vessels Formation
Experiments of in vitro formation of blood vessels show that cells randomly
spread on a gel matrix autonomously organize to form a connected vascular
network. We propose a simple model which reproduces many features of the
biological system. We show that both the model and the real system exhibit a
fractal behavior at small scales, due to the process of migration and dynamical
aggregation, followed at large scale by a random percolation behavior due to
the coalescence of aggregates. The results are in good agreement with the
analysis performed on the experimental data.Comment: 4 pages, 11 eps figure
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