The Circadian Clock Gene Period1 Connects the Molecular Clock to Neural Activity in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus.

The neural activity patterns of suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) neurons are dynamically regulated throughout the circadian cycle with highest levels of spontaneous action potentials during the day. These rhythms in electrical activity are critical for the function of the circadian timing system and yet the mechanisms by which the molecular clockwork drives changes in the membrane are not well understood. In this study, we sought to examine how the clock gene Period1 (Per1) regulates the electrical activity in the mouse SCN by transiently and selectively decreasing levels of PER1 through use of an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide. We found that this treatment effectively reduced SCN neural activity. Direct current injection to restore the normal membrane potential partially, but not completely, returned firing rate to normal levels. The antisense treatment also reduced baseline [Ca(2+)]i levels as measured by Fura2 imaging technique. Whole cell patch clamp recording techniques were used to examine which specific potassium currents were altered by the treatment. These recordings revealed that the large conductance [Ca(2+)]i-activated potassium currents were reduced in antisense-treated neurons and that blocking this current mimicked the effects of the anti-sense on SCN firing rate. These results indicate that the circadian clock gene Per1 alters firing rate in SCN neurons and raise the possibility that the large conductance [Ca(2+)]i-activated channel is one of the targets

A new numerical method for obtaining gluon distribution functions G(x,Q2)=xg(x,Q2)G(x,Q^2)=xg(x,Q^2), from the proton structure function F2γp(x,Q2)F_2^{\gamma p}(x,Q^2)

An exact expression for the leading-order (LO) gluon distribution function $G(x,Q^2)=xg(x,Q^2)$ from the DGLAP evolution equation for the proton structure function $F_2^{\gamma p}(x,Q^2)$ for deep inelastic $\gamma^* p$ scattering has recently been obtained [M. M. Block, L. Durand and D. W. McKay, Phys. Rev. D{\bf 79}, 014031, (2009)] for massless quarks, using Laplace transformation techniques. Here, we develop a fast and accurate numerical inverse Laplace transformation algorithm, required to invert the Laplace transforms needed to evaluate $G(x,Q^2)$, and compare it to the exact solution. We obtain accuracies of less than 1 part in 1000 over the entire $x$ and $Q^2$ spectrum. Since no analytic Laplace inversion is possible for next-to-leading order (NLO) and higher orders, this numerical algorithm will enable one to obtain accurate NLO (and NNLO) gluon distributions, using only experimental measurements of $F_2^{\gamma p}(x,Q^2)$.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Gravitational torques in spiral galaxies: gas accretion as a driving mechanism of galactic evolution

The distribution of gravitational torques and bar strengths in the local Universe is derived from a detailed study of 163 galaxies observed in the near-infrared. The results are compared with numerical models for spiral galaxy evolution. It is found that the observed distribution of torques can be accounted for only with external accretion of gas onto spiral disks. Accretion is responsible for bar renewal - after the dissolution of primordial bars - as well as the maintenance of spiral structures. Models of isolated, non-accreting galaxies are ruled out. Moderate accretion rates do not explain the observational results: it is shown that galactic disks should double their mass in less than the Hubble time. The best fit is obtained if spiral galaxies are open systems, still forming today by continuous gas accretion, doubling their mass every 10 billion years.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters (accepted

'Just go away and do it and you get marks': the degradation of language teaching in neoliberal times

The marketization of education in countries like the UK may be seen as part and parcel of the rise of neoliberalism as the dominant shaper of policy and practice in many societies from the late twentieth century onwards. This paper explores how marketization has impacted on two initial teacher preparation programmes and focuses on the Cambridge English Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) as a particular kind of market driven model. It begins with a discussion of neoliberalism, marketization and the conditions of labour in neoliberal capitalism, making clear the complexity of these phenomena as well as the serious implications that they have for language teacher education. It then moves to a consideration of data from a specific CELTA course where some of these key issues can be seen to play out in ways which we suggest give cause for concern. Our conclusion is that programmes of this type both index and reinforce a model of English as purely instrumental and disembedded from social context and a model of professional activity which is highly instrumental and emblematic of the kind of deskilling and discrediting which have occurred in many professional sectors in recent decades

Launching Delta Alliance, final report of phase 2

Delta Alliance is a network that aims to improve the resilience of the world’s deltas. It provides a foundation and framework for international knowledge sharing and development around delta issues. Phase 2 focussed on three components: developing the Delta Alliance organization, initiating network activities and (development of) research and knowledge sharing projects

Artificial Brains and Hybrid Minds

The paper develops two related thought experiments exploring variations on an ‘animat’ theme. Animats are hybrid devices with both artificial and biological components. Traditionally, ‘components’ have been construed in concrete terms, as physical parts or constituent material structures. Many fascinating issues arise within this context of hybrid physical organization. However, within the context of functional/computational theories of mentality, demarcations based purely on material structure are unduly narrow. It is abstract functional structure which does the key work in characterizing the respective ‘components’ of thinking systems, while the ‘stuff’ of material implementation is of secondary importance. Thus the paper extends the received animat paradigm, and investigates some intriguing consequences of expanding the conception of bio-machine hybrids to include abstract functional and semantic structure. In particular, the thought experiments consider cases of mind-machine merger where there is no physical Brain-Machine Interface: indeed, the material human body and brain have been removed from the picture altogether. The first experiment illustrates some intrinsic theoretical difficulties in attempting to replicate the human mind in an alternative material medium, while the second reveals some deep conceptual problems in attempting to create a form of truly Artificial General Intelligence

Consequences of the Factorization Hypothesis in pbar p, pp, gamma p and gamma gamma Collisions

Using an eikonal analysis, we examine the validity of the factorization theorem for nucleon-nucleon, gamma p and gamma gamma collisions. As an example, using the additive quark model and meson vector dominance, we directly show that for all energies and values of the eikonal, that the factorization theorem sigma_{nn}/sigma_{gamma p} = sigma_{gamma p}/sigma_{gamma gamma} holds. We can also compute the survival probability of large rapidity gaps in high energy pbar p and pp collisions. We show that the survival probabilities are identical (at the same energy) for gamma p and gamma gamma collisions, as well as for nucleon-nucleon collisions. We further show that neither the factorization theorem nor the reaction-independence of the survival probabilities depends on the assumption of an additive quark model, but, more generally, depends on the opacity of the eikonal being independent of whether the reaction is n-n, gamma p or gamma gamma.Comment: 8 pages, Revtex, no figures. Expanded discussion, minor correction