Topological and geometrical quantities in active cellular structures.

Topological and geometrical properties and the associated topological defects find a rapidly growing interest in studying the interplay between mechanics and the collective behavior of cells on the tissue level. We here test if well studied equilibrium laws for polydisperse passive systems such as Lewis' and Aboav-Weaire's law are applicable also for active cellular structures. Large scale simulations, which are based on a multiphase field active polar gel model, indicate that these active cellular structures follow these laws. If the system is in a state of collective motion, quantitative agreement with typical values for passive systems is also observed. If this state has not developed, quantitative differences can be found. We further compare the model with discrete modeling approaches for cellular structures and show that essential properties, such as T1 transitions and rosettes, are naturally fulfilled.

North Pacific deglacial hypoxic events linked to abrupt ocean warming.

Marine sediments from the North Pacific document two episodes of expansion and strengthening of the subsurface oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) accompanied by seafloor hypoxia during the last deglacial transition. The mechanisms driving this hypoxia remain under debate. We present a new high-resolution alkenone palaeotemperature reconstruction from the Gulf of Alaska that reveals two abrupt warming events of 4-5 degrees Celsius at the onset of the Bølling and Holocene intervals that coincide with sudden shifts to hypoxia at intermediate depths. The presence of diatomaceous laminations and hypoxia-tolerant benthic foraminiferal species, peaks in redox-sensitive trace metals, and enhanced (15)N/(14)N ratio of organic matter, collectively suggest association with high export production. A decrease in (18)O/(16)O values of benthic foraminifera accompanying the most severe deoxygenation event indicates subsurface warming of up to about 2 degrees Celsius. We infer that abrupt warming triggered expansion of the North Pacific OMZ through reduced oxygen solubility and increased marine productivity via physiological effects; following initiation of hypoxia, remobilization of iron from hypoxic sediments could have provided a positive feedback on ocean deoxygenation through increased nutrient utilization and carbon export. Such a biogeochemical amplification process implies high sensitivity of OMZ expansion to warming.

A mechanism for cell motility by active polar gels.

We analyse a generic motility model, with the motility mechanism arising by contractile stress due to the interaction of myosin and actin. A hydrodynamic active polar gel theory is used to model the cytoplasm of a cell and is combined with a Helfrich-type model to account for membrane properties. The overall model allows consideration of the motility without the necessity for local adhesion. Besides a detailed numerical approach together with convergence studies for the highly nonlinear free boundary problem, we also compare the induced flow field of the motile cell with that of classical squirmer models and identify the motile cell as a puller or pusher, depending on the strength of the myosin-actin interactions.