Mathematical modelling and numerical simulation of the morphological development of neurons

Background

The morphological development of neurons is a very complex process involving both genetic and environmental components. Mathematical modelling and numerical simulation are valuable tools in helping us unravel particular aspects of how individual neurons grow their characteristic morphologies and eventually form appropriate networks with each other.

Methods

A variety of mathematical models that consider (1) neurite initiation (2) neurite elongation (3) axon pathfinding, and (4) neurite branching and dendritic shape formation are reviewed. The different mathematical techniques employed are also described.

Results

Some comparison of modelling results with experimental data is made. A critique of different modelling techniques is given, leading to a proposal for a unified modelling environment for models of neuronal development.

Conclusion

A unified mathematical and numerical simulation framework should lead to an expansion of work on models of neuronal development, as has occurred with compartmental models of neuronal electrical activity.

     

Experiments and analysis of thin tungsten slice and W/Cu brazing for primary collimator scraper in CSNS/RCS

According to the requirements for the beam collimation system of the rapid cycling synchrotron(RCS)of China Spallation Neutron Source(CSNS),the main structure of a scraper of primary collimator is made by W/Cu brazing,in which the thickness of tungsten slice is 0.17 mm.In order to get the best mechanical properties,the brazing temperature is suggested to be controlled under the recrystallization temperature of tungsten,while the recrystallization temperature is affected directly by the thickness of tungsten.Because of little research and application on the brazing of thin tungsten slice of 0.17 mm and copper,tensile tests are done to get the mechanical properties of tungsten slices which experience different brazing temperatures.In keeping the inner relationships between the mechanical properties and temperature,another experiment is done by using SEM to scan the microstructures including the size and distribution of crystals.Finally we determine the recrystallization temperature of tungsten slice of 0.17 mm,and get the best parameters of W/Cu brazing for scrapers of primary collimator in CSNS/RCS.     

Study on scattering correction in fast neutron tomography at NECTAR facility

Fast neutron tomography has been established as an inspection and detection tool at the NECTAR facility at the FRM-II reactor.Scattered neutrons from the object become a major disturbance and bring in artifacts and deviations in reconstruction results,especially for hydrogenous material object.In this article,an iterative scattering correction method for fast neutron tomography was proposed.In each loop of iteration the scattering component of the projections will be simulated by Monte-Carlo program MCNPX based on the previous reconstruction result and then it will be subtracted from original projections.The differences between scattering components at different perspectives were quantitatively evaluated and an average scattering component image was used for all projections finally.Smooth and uniform slices with more clear edges were obtained and the new reconstructed attenuation coefficients are quite close to the real one compared to the results without scattering correction,in which case the relative error of the reconstructed attenuation coefficients is about 10%–30%.     

Thermodynamic non-additivity in disordered systems with extended phase space

Non-additivity effects in coupled dynamic-stochastic systems are investigated. It is shown that there is a mapping of the replica approach to disordered systems with finite replica indexn on Tsallis non-extensive statistics, if the average thermodynamic entropy of the dynamic subsystem differs from the information entropy for the probability distribution in the stochastic subsystem. The entropic indexq is determined by the entropy difference ΔS. In the case of incomplete information, the entropic indexq=1−n is shown to be related to the degree of lost information.     

Turbulent flame visualization using direct numerical simulation

Combustion phenomena are of high scientific and technological interest, in particular for energy generation and transportation systems. Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) have become an essential and well established research tool to investigate the structure of turbulent flames, since they do not rely on any approximate turbulence models. In this work two complementary DNS codes are employed to investigate different types of fuels and flame configurations. The code is π³ is a 3-dimensional DNS code using a low-Mach number approximation. Chemistry is described through a tabulation, using two coordinates to enter a database constructed for example with 29 species and 141 reactions for methane combustion. It is used here to investigate the growth of a turbulent premixed flame in a methane-air mixture (Case 1). The second code,Sider is an explicit three-dimensional DNS code solving the fully compressible reactive Navier-Stokes equations, where the chemical processes are computed using a complete reaction scheme, taking into account accurate diffusion properties. It is used here to compute a hydrogen/air turbulent diffusion flame (Case 2), considering 9 chemical species and 38 chemical reactions.     

Sensitization of spinal cord nociceptive neurons with a conjugate of substance P and cholera toxin

Background  

Several investigators have coupled toxins to neuropeptides for the purpose of lesioning specific neurons in the central nervous system. By producing deficits in function these toxin conjugates have yielded valuable information about the role of these cells. In an effort to specifically stimulate cells rather than kill them we have conjugated the neuropeptide substance P to the catalytic subunit of cholera toxin (SP-CTA). This conjugate should be taken up selectively by neurokinin receptor expressing neurons resulting in enhanced adenylate cyclase activity and neuronal firing.     

A 100 kHz Narrow-Pulse-Width Mid-Infrared Optical Parametric Oscillator Based on PPMgLN Crystal

We report a narrow pulse width optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled MgO:LiNbO₃ (PPMgLN) with a high repetition rate under quasi-phase matched conditions. When the maximum pumping power of the 1,064-nm laser was 14.57 W, the acousto-optical (A-O) Q-switch repetition rate was 100 kHz, and the PPMgLN crystal grating period was 29.5 μm. A 1,474-nm signal light output power of 4.21 W and a 3,828 nm idler light output power of 1.547 W were obtained, corresponding to a pulse width of 9.52 ns and 9.65 ns, respectively. The overall optical–optical conversion efficiency was 39.5%. Additionally, by changing the temperature from 25°C to 150°C, a tunable signal wavelength of 1,474–1,499 nm and idler wavelength at 3,676–3,828 nm of the output laser were achieved.     

Analysis of Asymmetric Long-Range Surface-Plasmon Waveguide with High-Confinement Mode

We model and study the asymmetric long-range surface-plasmon waveguides using the finite-element method. We introduce two types of asymmetric structures and discuss their modal properties compared to traditional long-range surface-plasmon waveguides. Although the propagation distance is decreased, the energy-confinement capability is improved for asymmetric long-range waveguiding structures when the geometrical parameters are properly selected. Our simulation result offers guidance for tuning properties of plasmonic waveguides and providing ways for enhancing electromagnetic energy confinement in long-range surface-plasmon waveguides.     

A Novel Method for the Detection of Trace Gases Based on Photo-Acoustic Spectroscopy

We study quartz tuning fork (QTF) characteristics using a 532 nm semiconductor laser with a power of 39 mW and calculate QTF vibrations caused by thermal noise and disturbance of the air using the equipartition theorem; the vibration value is about 1.152 Pm. The signal-to-noise ratio and QTF resonance amplitude acquired experimentally are 104.56 and 214.75 Pm, respectively. In addition, we develop a new photo-acoustic spectroscopic system for detection of trace acetylene using a CW diode laser source with distributed feedback operating near 1,532 nm, measure the absorption spectrum of acetylene employing this system, and show that the method elaborated is more sensitive than photoelectric detectors that provides new directions for research in photo-acoustic spectroscopy.