Pattern formation

Abstract: Standing wave oscillations of the cell density (rippling) are observed in premature aggregates of developing myxobacteria. Recently the underlying pattern formation mechanism was shown to be based on the interplay between active cell motion and local interactions triggering reversals in the cells' direction of motion. The propagation of information through the system is mediated by the internal state of moving cells rather than by diffusible chemical signals. Discrete cellular automata and coupled-map lattices have been investigated earlier and indicate the importance of a minimum refractory period between subsequent reversals of a cell. In this paper we consider the continuum limit of the process, that yields a set of hyperbolic partial differential equations with a a single discrete time delay. The time delay corresponds to the duration of the mentioned refractory period of the cells. According to linear stability analysis a minimal time delay is required for a wave instability to occur. The results of the continuum model are in reasonable agreement with the findings in the discrete models adding credibility to the earlier studies.

Abstract: Patterns are often formed when particles cluster: Since patterns reflect the connectivity of different types of material, the emergence of patterns affects the physical and chemical properties of systems and shares a close relationship to their macroscopic functions. A radial dendritic pattern (RDP) is observed in many systems such as snow crystals, polymer crystals and biological systems. Although most of these systems are considered as dense particle suspensions, the mechanism of RDP formation in dense particle systems is not yet understood. It should be noted that the diffusion limited aggregation model is not applicable to RDP formation in dense systems, but in dilute particle systems. Here, we propose a simple model that exhibits RDP formation in a dense particle system. The model potential for the inter-particle interaction is composed of two parts, a repulsive and an attractive force. The repulsive force is applied to all the particles all the time and the attractive force is exerted only among particles inside a circular domain, which expands at a certain speed as a wave front propagating from a preselected centre. It is found that an RDP is formed if the velocity of the wave front that triggers the attractive interaction is of the same order of magnitude as the time scale defined by the aggregation speed.

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pattern formation method based on a lift-off method which enables a resist layer to be peeled rapidly from a base in a pattern non-formation region of the base when a pattern is formed by a lift-off method on a pattern formation region of the base, and does not cause lowering of alignment accuracy between layers and lowering of pattern dimensional accuracy in the pattern formation region even if the base has elasticity. SOLUTION: In the method for forming a pattern 16 on the pattern formation region of the base 11 by a lift-off method, a dummy pattern 116 is formed by a lift-off method also on the pattern non-formation region of the base except the pattern formation region. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Abstract: Phyllotaxis, the arrangement of leaves on a plant stem, is well known because of its beautiful geometric configuration, which is derived from the constant spacing between leaf primordia. This phyllotaxis is established by mutual interaction between a diffusible plant hormone auxin and its efflux carrier PIN1, which cooperatively generate a regular pattern of auxin maxima, small regions with high auxin concentrations, leading to leaf primordia. However, the molecular mechanism of the regular pattern of auxin maxima is still largely unknown. To better understand how the phyllotaxis pattern is controlled, we investigated mathematical models based on the auxin-PIN1 interaction through linear stability analysis and numerical simulations, focusing on the spatial regularity control of auxin maxima. As in previous reports, we first confirmed that this spatial regularity can be reproduced by a highly simplified and abstract model. However, this model lacks the extracellular region and is not appropriate for considering the molecular mechanism. Thus, we investigated how auxin maxima patterns are affected under more realistic conditions. We found that the spatial regularity is eliminated by introducing the extracellular region, even in the presence of direct diffusion between cells or between extracellular spaces, and this strongly suggests the existence of an unknown molecular mechanism. To unravel this mechanism, we assumed a diffusible molecule to verify various feedback interactions with auxin-PIN1 dynamics. We revealed that regular patterns can be restored by a diffusible molecule that mediates the signaling from auxin to PIN1 polarization. Furthermore, as in the one-dimensional case, similar results are observed in the two-dimensional space. These results provide a great insight into the theoretical and molecular basis for understanding the phyllotaxis pattern. Our theoretical analysis strongly predicts a diffusible molecule that is pivotal for the phyllotaxis pattern but is yet to be determined experimentally.