Are all fast radio bursts repeating sources? Caleb, M; Stappers, B W; Rajwade, K ...
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
04/2019, Letnik:
484, Številka:
4
Journal Article
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ABSTRACT
We present Monte Carlo simulations of a cosmological population of repeating fast radio burst (FRB) sources whose comoving density follows the cosmic star formation rate history. We assume a ...power-law model for the intrinsic energy distribution for each repeating FRB source located at a randomly chosen position in the sky and simulate their dispersion measures and propagation effects along the chosen lines-of-sight to various telescopes. In one scenario, an exponential distribution for the intrinsic wait times between pulses is chosen, and in a second scenario we model the observed pulse arrival times to follow a Weibull distribution. For both models we determine whether the FRB source would be deemed a repeater based on the telescope sensitivity and time spent on follow-up observations. We are unable to rule out the existence of a single FRB population based on comparisons of our simulations with the longest FRB follow-up observations performed. We however rule out the possibility of FRBs 171020 and 010724 repeating with the same rate statistics as FRB 121102 and also constrain the slope of a power-law fit to the FRB energy distribution to be −2.0 < γ < −1.0. All-sky simulations of repeating FRB sources imply that the detection of singular events correspond to the bright tail end of the adopted energy distribution due to the combination of the increase in volume probed with distance, and the position of the burst in the telescope beam.
Tip growth is employed throughout the plant kingdom. Our understanding of tip growth has benefited from modern tools in molecular genetics, which have enabled the functional characterization of ...proteins mediating tip growth. Here we first discuss the evolutionary role of tip growth in land plants and then describe the prominent model tip-growth systems, elaborating on some advantages and disadvantages of each. Next we review the organization of tip-growing cells, the role of the cytoskeleton, and recent developments concerning the physiological basis of tip growth. Finally, we review advances in the understanding of the extracellular signals that are known to guide tip-growing cells.
ABSTRACT
The discovery that at least some Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) repeat has ruled out cataclysmic events as the progenitors of these particular bursts. FRB 121102 is the most well-studied repeating ...FRB but despite extensive monitoring of the source, no underlying pattern in the repetition has previously been identified. Here, we present the results from a radio monitoring campaign of FRB 121102 using the 76 m Lovell telescope. Using the pulses detected in the Lovell data along with pulses from the literature, we report a detection of periodic behaviour of the source over the span of 5 yr of data. We predict that the source is currently ‘off’ and that it should turn ‘on’ for the approximate MJD range 59002−59089 (2020 June 2 to 2020 August 28). This result, along with the recent detection of periodicity from another repeating FRB, highlights the need for long-term monitoring of repeating FRBs at a high cadence. Using simulations, we show that one needs at least 100 h of telescope time to follow-up repeating FRBs at a cadence of 0.5–3 d to detect periodicities in the range of 10–150 d. If the period is real, it shows that repeating FRBs can have a large range in their activity periods that might be difficult to reconcile with neutron star precession models.
The goal of this study is to calibrate a multiscale model of tumor angiogenesis with time-resolved data to allow for systematic testing of mathematical predictions of vascular sprouting. The ...multi-scale model consists of an agent-based description of tumor and endothelial cell dynamics coupled to a continuum model of vascular endothelial growth factor concentration. First, we calibrate ordinary differential equation models to time-resolved protein concentration data to estimate the rates of secretion and consumption of vascular endothelial growth factor by endothelial and tumor cells, respectively. These parameters are then input into the multiscale tumor angiogenesis model, and the remaining model parameters are then calibrated to time resolved confocal microscopy images obtained within a 3D vascularized microfluidic platform. The microfluidic platform mimics a functional blood vessel with a surrounding collagen matrix seeded with inflammatory breast cancer cells, which induce tumor angiogenesis. Once the multi-scale model is fully parameterized, we forecast the spatiotemporal distribution of vascular sprouts at future time points and directly compare the predictions to experimentally measured data. We assess the ability of our model to globally recapitulate angiogenic vasculature density, resulting in an average relative calibration error of 17.7% ± 6.3% and an average prediction error of 20.2% ± 4% and 21.7% ± 3.6% using one and four calibrated parameters, respectively. We then assess the model's ability to predict local vessel morphology (individualized vessel structure as opposed to global vascular density), initialized with the first time point and calibrated with two intermediate time points. In this study, we have rigorously calibrated a mechanism-based, multiscale, mathematical model of angiogenic sprouting to multimodal experimental data to make specific, testable predictions.
Particle filters (PFs) have become popular for assimilation of a wide range of hydrologic variables in recent years. With this increased use, it has become necessary to increase the applicability of ...this technique for use in complex hydrologic/land surface models and to make these methods more viable for operational probabilistic prediction. To make the PF a more suitable option in these scenarios, it is necessary to improve the reliability of these techniques. Improved reliability in the PF is achieved in this work through an improved parameter search, with the use of variable variance multipliers and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. Application of these methods to the PF allows for greater search of the posterior distribution, leading to more complete characterization of the posterior distribution and reducing risk of sample impoverishment. This leads to a PF that is more efficient and provides more reliable predictions. This study introduces the theory behind the proposed algorithm, with application on a hydrologic model. Results from both real and synthetic studies suggest that the proposed filter significantly increases the effectiveness of the PF, with marginal increase in the computational demand for hydrologic prediction.
Key Points
PF with MCMC moves enhances the reliability of streamflow prediction
Variable variance multipliers (VVM) reduces sample impoverishment in the PF
Metropolis criteria in conjunction with VVM increases parameter diversity
Dark-field scattering spectroelectrochemistry is used to analyze the electrochemical formation of individual Ag nanoparticles (NPs) at the surface of an indium tin oxide electrode. Heterogeneities ...in redox potentials among NPs not visible in bulk electrochemical measurements are presented for the first time. Through correlated electron microscopy, single NP light scattering intensity is related to particle size according to Mie theory, enabling rapid particle size determination and the construction of voltammetric curves for individual NPs.
In hydrologic modeling, state‐parameter estimation using data assimilation techniques is increasing in popularity. Several studies, using both the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and the particle ...filter (PF) to estimate both model states and parameters have been published in recent years. Though there is increasing interest and a growing literature in this area, relatively little research has been presented to examine the effectiveness and robustness of these methods to estimate uncertainty. This study suggests that state‐parameter estimation studies need to provide a more rigorous testing of these techniques than has previously been presented. With this in mind, this paper presents a study with multiple calibration replicates and a range of performance measures to test the ability of each technique to calibrate two separate hydrologic models. The results show that the EnKF is consistently overconfident in predicting streamflow, which relates to the assumption of a Gaussian error structure. In addition, the EnKF and PF were found to perform similarly in terms of tracking the observations with an expected value, but the potential for filter divergence in the EnKF is highlighted.
Key Points
Both the EnKF and PF show similar abilities to track the observations
EnKF consistently produces overconfident results in comparison to the PF
PF is a more robust parameter estimation technique than the EnKF
Rab family of GTPases Li, Guangpu; Marlin, M Caleb
Methods in molecular biology,
2015, Letnik:
1298
Journal Article
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Rab proteins represent the largest branch of the Ras-like small GTPase superfamily and there are 66 Rab genes in the human genome. They alternate between GTP- and GDP-bound states, which are ...facilitated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), and function as molecular switches in regulation of intracellular membrane trafficking in all eukaryotic cells. Each Rab targets to an organelle and specify a transport step along exocytic, endocytic, and recycling pathways as well as the crosstalk between these pathways. Through interactions with multiple effectors temporally, a Rab can control membrane budding and formation of transport vesicles, vesicle movement along cytoskeleton, and membrane fusion at the target compartment. The large number of Rab proteins reflects the complexity of the intracellular transport system, which is essential for the localization and function of membrane and secretory proteins such as hormones, growth factors, and their membrane receptors. As such, Rab proteins have emerged as important regulators for signal transduction, cell growth, and differentiation. Altered Rab expression and/or activity have been implicated in diseases ranging from neurological disorders, diabetes to cancer.
Tumor associated angiogenesis is the development of new blood vessels in response to proteins secreted by tumor cells. These new blood vessels allow tumors to continue to grow beyond what the ...pre-existing vasculature could support. Here, we construct a mathematical model to simulate tumor angiogenesis by considering each endothelial cell as an agent, and allowing the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nutrient fields to impact the dynamics and phenotypic transitions of each tumor and endothelial cell. The phenotypes of the endothelial cells (i.e., tip, stalk, and phalanx cells) are selected by the local VEGF field, and govern the migration and growth of vessel sprouts at the cellular level. Over time, these vessels grow and migrate to the tumor, forming anastomotic loops to supply nutrients, while interacting with the tumor through mechanical forces and the consumption of VEGF. The model is able to capture collapsing and breaking of vessels caused by tumor-endothelial cell interactions. This is accomplished through modeling the physical interaction between the vasculature and the tumor, resulting in vessel occlusion and tumor heterogeneity over time due to the stages of response in angiogenesis. Key parameters are identified through a sensitivity analysis based on the Sobol method, establishing which parameters should be the focus of subsequent experimental efforts. During the avascular phase (i.e., before angiogenesis is triggered), the nutrient consumption rate, followed by the rate of nutrient diffusion, yield the greatest influence on the number and distribution of tumor cells. Similarly, the consumption and diffusion of VEGF yield the greatest influence on the endothelial and tumor cell numbers during angiogenesis. In summary, we present a hybrid mathematical approach that characterizes vascular changes via an agent-based model, while treating nutrient and VEGF changes through a continuum model. The model describes the physical interaction between a tumor and the surrounding blood vessels, explicitly allowing the forces of the growing tumor to influence the nutrient delivery of the vasculature.
Target-derived neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF) and its receptor TrkA are well known for retrograde signaling to promote survival and innervation of sympathetic and sensory neurons. In recent ...years, the signaling endosome model has been used to describe the sustained NGF/TrkA retrograde signaling as a process of endocytosis and retrograde transport of NGF/TrkA-containing endosomes from the axon terminal to the cell body for activation of NGF-inducible gene expression responsible for neuronal survival and development. Here, we review the biogenesis and function of NGF, TrkA, and the signaling endosome and discuss possible roles of Rab GTPases in the biogenesis and trafficking of signaling endosomes.
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