Growth states of catalytic reaction networks exhibiting energy metabolism

All cells derive nutrition by absorbing some chemical and energy resources from the environment; these resources are used by the cells to reproduce the chemicals within them, which in turn leads to an increase in their volume. In this study, we introduce a protocell model exhibiting catalytic reaction dynamics, energy metabolism, and cell growth. Results of extensive simulations of this model show the existence of four phases with regard to the rates of both the influx of resources and the cell growth. These phases include an active phase with high influx and high growth rates, an inefficient phase with high influx but low growth rates, a quasi-static phase with low influx and low growth rates, and a death phase with negative growth rate. A mean field model well explains the transition among these phases as bifurcations. The statistical distribution of the active phase is characterized by a power law and that of the inefficient phase is characterized by a nearly equilibrium distribution. We also discuss the relevance of the results of this study to distinct states in the existing cells.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure

Ureteroscopic biopsy of upper tract urothelial carcinoma and role of urinary biomarkers

Ureteroscopic biopsy is an integral part of diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. It can be a technical challenge, but diagnostic rates have improved remarkably with refinements in surgical technique and specimen processing. Cytology aids with diagnosis and other urinary biomarkers continue to evolve, which may help further stratify patients for treatment. The current literature on the ureteroscopic biopsy and role of urinary biomarkers is reviewed and summarized below

The effect of RO3201195 and a pyrazolyl ketone P38 MAPK inhibitor library on the proliferation of Werner syndrome cells

No description supplie

Overview of the Tevatron Collider Complex: Goals, Operations and Performance

For more than two decades the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider was the centerpiece of the world's high energy physics program. The collider was arguably one of the most complex research instruments ever to reach the operation stage and is widely recognized for numerous physics discoveries and for many technological breakthroughs. In this article we outline the historical background that led to the construction of the Tevatron Collider, the strategy applied to evolution of performance goals over the Tevatron's operational history, and briefly describe operations of each accelerator in the chain and achieved performance.Comment: Includes modifications suggested by reviewer

Retarding Sub- and Accelerating Super-Diffusion Governed by Distributed Order Fractional Diffusion Equations

We propose diffusion-like equations with time and space fractional derivatives of the distributed order for the kinetic description of anomalous diffusion and relaxation phenomena, whose diffusion exponent varies with time and which, correspondingly, can not be viewed as self-affine random processes possessing a unique Hurst exponent. We prove the positivity of the solutions of the proposed equations and establish the relation to the Continuous Time Random Walk theory. We show that the distributed order time fractional diffusion equation describes the sub-diffusion random process which is subordinated to the Wiener process and whose diffusion exponent diminishes in time (retarding sub-diffusion) leading to superslow diffusion, for which the square displacement grows logarithmically in time. We also demonstrate that the distributed order space fractional diffusion equation describes super-diffusion phenomena when the diffusion exponent grows in time (accelerating super-diffusion).Comment: 11 pages, LaTe

The origin of large molecules in primordial autocatalytic reaction networks

Large molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids are crucial for life, yet their primordial origin remains a major puzzle. The production of large molecules, as we know it today, requires good catalysts, and the only good catalysts we know that can accomplish this task consist of large molecules. Thus the origin of large molecules is a chicken and egg problem in chemistry. Here we present a mechanism, based on autocatalytic sets (ACSs), that is a possible solution to this problem. We discuss a mathematical model describing the population dynamics of molecules in a stylized but prebiotically plausible chemistry. Large molecules can be produced in this chemistry by the coalescing of smaller ones, with the smallest molecules, the `food set', being buffered. Some of the reactions can be catalyzed by molecules within the chemistry with varying catalytic strengths. Normally the concentrations of large molecules in such a scenario are very small, diminishing exponentially with their size. ACSs, if present in the catalytic network, can focus the resources of the system into a sparse set of molecules. ACSs can produce a bistability in the population dynamics and, in particular, steady states wherein the ACS molecules dominate the population. However to reach these steady states from initial conditions that contain only the food set typically requires very large catalytic strengths, growing exponentially with the size of the catalyst molecule. We present a solution to this problem by studying `nested ACSs', a structure in which a small ACS is connected to a larger one and reinforces it. We show that when the network contains a cascade of nested ACSs with the catalytic strengths of molecules increasing gradually with their size (e.g., as a power law), a sparse subset of molecules including some very large molecules can come to dominate the system.Comment: 49 pages, 17 figures including supporting informatio

Interethnic bias in willingness to engage in casual sex versus committed relationships

Interethnic romantic relationships are widely seen as a strong indicator of a well-integrated society. However, racial bias may still be evidenced in the tendency to engage in casual sex versus committed relationships. Using a large, age-diverse sample of 3,453 White British participants, this study found a general preference for White partners over racial minority partners. Furthermore, in line with social structural theory, participants reported a relative preference for marriage (versus casual sex) with White partners, but a relative preference for casual sex (versus marriage) with racial minorities. This pattern was further modified by sex: men reported a general preference for casual sex (versus marriage) with all racial groups except White partners. Women, however, reported a general preference for marriage (versus casual sex) with all groups, but this preference was strongest for White partners. The pattern was not further modified by sexual orientation. Implications for contemporary interethnic romantic relationships are discussed

Mass coupling and Q−1ofimpurity−limitednormalQ^{-1} of impurity-limited normal ^3$He in a torsion pendulum

We present results of the $Q^{-1}$ and period shift, $\Delta P$, for $^3$He confined in a 98% nominal open aerogel on a torsion pendulum. The aerogel is compressed uniaxially by 10% along a direction aligned to the torsion pendulum axis and was grown within a 400 $\mu$m tall pancake (after compression) similar to an Andronikashvili geometry. The result is a high $Q$ pendulum able to resolve $Q^{-1}$ and mass coupling of the impurity-limited $^3$He over the whole temperature range. After measuring the empty cell background, we filled the cell above the critical point and observe a temperature dependent period shift, $\Delta P$, between 100 mK and 3 mK that is 2.9$$ of the period shift (after filling) at 100 mK. The $Q^{-1}$ due to the $^3$He decreases by an order of magnitude between 100 mK and 3 mK at a pressure of $0.14\pm0.03$ bar. We compare the observable quantities to the corresponding calculated $Q^{-1}$ and period shift for bulk $^3$He.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

The meaning of life in a developing universe

The evolution of life on Earth has produced an organism that is beginning to model and understand its own evolution and the possible future evolution of life in the universe. These models and associated evidence show that evolution on Earth has a trajectory. The scale over which living processes are organized cooperatively has increased progressively, as has its evolvability. Recent theoretical advances raise the possibility that this trajectory is itself part of a wider developmental process. According to these theories, the developmental process has been shaped by a larger evolutionary process that involves the reproduction of universes. This evolutionary process has tuned the key parameters of the universe to increase the likelihood that life will emerge and develop to produce outcomes that are successful in the larger process (e.g. a key outcome may be to produce life and intelligence that intentionally reproduces the universe and tunes the parameters of ‘offspring’ universes). Theory suggests that when life emerges on a planet, it moves along this trajectory of its own accord. However, at a particular point evolution will continue to advance only if organisms emerge that decide to advance the evolutionary process intentionally. The organisms must be prepared to make this commitment even though the ultimate nature and destination of the process is uncertain, and may forever remain unknown. Organisms that complete this transition to intentional evolution will drive the further development of life and intelligence in the universe. Humanity’s increasing understanding of the evolution of life in the universe is rapidly bringing it to the threshold of this major evolutionary transition

Infrared spectroscopy of phytochrome and model pigments

Fourier-transform infrared difference spectra between the red-absorbing and far-red-absorbing forms of oat phytochrome have been measured in H2O and 2H2O. The difference spectra are compared with infrared spectra of model compounds, i.e. the (5Z,10Z,15Z)- and (5Z,10Z,15E)-isomers of 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-bilindion (Et8-bilindion), 2,3-dihydro-2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethyl-bilindion (H2Et8-bilindion), and protonated H2Et8-bilindion in various solvents. The spectra of the model compounds show that only for the protonated forms can clear differences between the two isomers be detected. Since considerable differences are present between the spectra of Et8-bilindion and H2Et8-bilindion, it is concluded that only the latter compound can serve as a model system of phytochrome. The 2H2O effect on the difference spectrum of phytochrome supports the view that the chromophore in red-absorbing phytochrome is protonated and suggests, in addition, that it is also protonated in far-red-absorbing phytochrome. The spectra show that protonated carboxyl groups are influenced. The small amplitudes in the difference spectra exclude major changes of protein secondary structure