Distinguishing causality principles

We distinguish two sub-types of each of the two causality principles formulated in connection with the Common Cause Principle in Henson (2005) and raise and investigate the problem of logical relations among the resulting four causality principles. Based in part on the analysis of the status of these four principles in algebraic quantum field theory we will argue that the four causal principles are non-equivalent.     

The role of Epac in the heart

As one of the most important second messengers, 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) mediates various extracellular signals including hormones and neurotransmitters, and induces appropriate responses in diverse types of cells. Since cAMP was formerly believed to transmit signals through only two direct target molecules, protein kinase A and the cyclic nucleotide-gated channel, the sensational discovery in 1998 of another novel direct effecter of cAMP [exchange proteins directly activated by cAMP (Epac)] attracted a great deal of scientific interest in cAMP signaling. Numerous studies on Epac have since disclosed its important functions in various tissues in the body. Recently, observations of genetically manipulated mice in various pathogenic models have begun to reveal the in vivo significance of previous in vitro or cellular-level findings. Here, we focused on the function of Epac in the heart. Accumulating evidence has revealed that both Epac1 and Epac2 play important roles in the structure and function of the heart under physiological and pathological conditions. Accordingly, developing the ability to regulate cAMP-mediated signaling through Epac may lead to remarkable new therapies for the treatment of cardiac diseases.     

Sequential inactivation of Rho GTPases and Lim kinase by Pseudomonas aeruginosa toxins ExoS and ExoT leads to endothelial monolayer breakdown

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major human opportunistic pathogen and one of the most important causal agents of bacteremia. For non-blood-borne infection, bacterial dissemination requires the crossing of the vascular endothelium, the main barrier between blood and the surrounding tissues. Here, we investigated the effects of P. aeruginosa type 3 secretion effectors, namely ExoS, ExoT, and ExoY, on regulators of actin cytoskeleton dynamics in primary endothelial cells. ExoS and ExoT similarly affected the Lim kinase-cofilin pathway, thereby promoting actin filament severing. Cofilin activation was also observed in a mouse model of P. aeruginosa-induced acute pneumonia. Rho, Rac, and Cdc42 GTPases were sequentially inactivated, leading to inhibition of membrane ruffling, filopodia, and stress fiber collapse, and focal adhesion disruption. At the end of the process, ExoS and ExoT produced a dramatic retraction in all primary endothelial cell types tested and thus a rupture of the endothelial monolayer. ExoY alone had no effect in this context. Cell retraction could be counteracted by overexpression of actin cytoskeleton regulators. In addition, our data suggest that moesin is neither a direct exotoxin target nor an important player in this process. We conclude that any action leading to inhibition of actin filament breakdown will improve the barrier function of the endothelium during P. aeruginosa infection.     

A PLL Clock Frequency Multiplier Using Dynamic Current Matching Adaptive Charge-Pump and VCO Frequency Reuse

A 3.5 times PLL clock frequency multiplier for low voltage different signal （LVDS） driver is presented. A novel adaptive charge pump can automatically switch the loop bandwidth and a voltage-controlled oscillator （VCO） is designed with the aid of frequency ranges reuse technology. The circuit is implemented using 1st Silicon 0.25 μm mixed-signal complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor （CMOS） process. Simulation results show that the PLL clock frequency multiplier has very low phase noise and very short capture time .     

Control and Stabilization of the Rosenau Equation Posed on a Periodic Domain

This paper considers the Rosenau equation with a moving control?t u + ?_t?_x~4 u + ?_xu + u?x u = a(x + ct)h(x, t), c = 0, x ∈ T = R/(2πZ), t 0.The authors prove that the Rosenau equation with a moving control is locally exact controllable in Hs(T) with s ≥ 0 and globally exponential stable in H~s(T) with s ≥ 2. The two results nontrivially extend the work of(Rosier L and Zhang B Y, 2013) from the BBM equation to the Rosenau equation.     

Sequential Fair Stackelberg Equilibria of Linear Strategies in Risk-Seeking Insider Trading

This paper develops a sequential fair Stackelberg auction model in which each of the two risk-seeking insiders has an equal chance to be a leader or follower at each auction stage. The authors establish the existence, uniqueness of sequential fair Stackelberg equilibria (in short, FSE) when both insiders adopt linear strategies, and find that at the sequential equilibria such two insiders compete aggressively that cause the liquidity of market to drop, the information to be revealed and the profit to go down very rapidly while the trading intensity goes substantially high. Furthermore, the authors also give continuous versions of corresponding parameters in the sequential FSE in closed forms, as the time interval between auctions approaches to zero. It shows that such parameters go down or up approximately exponentially and all of the liquidity of market, information and profit become zero while the trading intensity goes to infinity. Some numerical simulations about the sequential FSE are also illustrated.     

Electrochemical and spectroscopic study of interfacial interactions between chalcopyrite and typical flotation process reagents

Comparative voltammetry and differential double-layer capacitance studies were performed to evaluate interfacial interactions between chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) and n-isopropyl xanthate (X) in the presence of ammonium bisulfite/39wt% SO₂ and caustic starch at different pH values. Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, and microflotation tests were used to establish the type and extent of xanthate adsorption as well as the species involved under different mineral surface conditions in this study. The results demonstrate that the species that favor a greater hydrophobicity of chalcopyrite are primarily CuX and S0, whereas oxides and hydroxides of Cu and Fe as well as an excess of starch decrease the hydrophobicity. A conditioning of the mineral surface with ammonium bisulfite/39wt% SO₂ at pH 6 promotes the activation of surface and enhances the xanthate adsorption. However, this effect is diminished at pH ≥ 8, when an excess of starch is added during the preconditioning step.     

A low density of 0.8 g cm(-3) for the Trojan binary asteroid 617 Patroclus

The Trojan population consists of two swarms of asteroids following the same orbit as Jupiter and located at the L4 and L5 stable Lagrange points of the Jupiter-Sun system (leading and following Jupiter by 60 degrees ). The asteroid 617 Patroclus is the only known binary Trojan. The orbit of this double system was hitherto unknown. Here we report that the components, separated by 680 km, move around the system's centre of mass, describing a roughly circular orbit. Using this orbital information, combined with thermal measurements to estimate the size of the components, we derive a very low density of 0.8(- 0.1)+0.2 g cm(-3). The components of 617 Patroclus are therefore very porous or composed mostly of water ice, suggesting that they could have been formed in the outer part of the Solar System.     

Field synergy principle of heat and mass transfer

Simultaneous heat and mass transfer widely exists in nature and engineering, and it is of vital importance to enhance heat and mass transfer efficiency. In this paper, field synergy equation of heat and mass transfer is derived from its energy equation. Results show that the total transferred heat （including the conducted heat and the heat transferred by mass diffusion through the heat transfer interface） is determined by the values of fluid velocity and enthalpy gradient as well as the value of synergy angle α of velocity vector and enthalpy gradient field. Decreasing the value of α enhances the heat and mass transfer. This means the higher the synergy of velocity vector and enthalpy gradient field, the higher the total transferred heat. By the synergy principle of heat and mass transfer, some methods may be developed to improve the heat and mass transfer efficiency.