cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Host and Viral Factors in HIV-Mediated Bystander Apoptosis

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections lead to a progressive loss of CD4 T cells primarily via the process of apoptosis. With a limited number of infected cells and vastly disproportionate apoptosis in HIV infected patients, it is believed that apoptosis of uninfected bystander cells plays a significant role in this process. Disease progression in HIV infected individuals is highly variable suggesting that both host and viral factors may influence HIV mediated apoptosis. Amongst the viral factors, the role of Envelope (Env) glycoprotein in bystander apoptosis is well documented. Recent evidence on the variability in apoptosis induction by primary patient derived Envs underscores the role of Env glycoprotein in HIV disease. Amongst the host factors, the role of C-C Chemokine Receptor type 5 (CCR5), a coreceptor for HIV Env, is also becoming increasingly evident. Polymorphisms in the CCR5 gene and promoter affect CCR5 cell surface expression and correlate with both apoptosis and CD4 loss. Finally, chronic immune activation in HIV infections induces multiple defects in the immune system and has recently been shown to accelerate HIV Env mediated CD4 apoptosis. Consequently, those factors that affect CCR5 expression and/or immune activation in turn indirectly regulate HIV mediated apoptosis making this phenomenon both complex and multifactorial. This review explores the complex role of various host and viral factors in determining HIV mediated bystander apoptosis.
Reliability Assessment of Hierarchical Systems With Incomplete Mixed Data

A complex engineering system typically consists of a group of components/subsystems in a hierarchical structure and the system is monitored at only some, not all, of these hierarchical levels. This paper investigates a Bayesian approach to system reliability prediction using multilevel incomplete data. These data are drawn simultaneously from different component/subsystem levels within the same system, thus need to be analyzed with the consideration of their overlapping nature. In this paper, a Bayesian network model is proposed for modeling the reliability of a multilevel system, where a lower level node can only be connected to one higher level node. Through Bayesian inference, the posterior distributions of lifetime parameters and conditional probabilities in the model are obtained by combining prior beliefs with lifetime data coming from different system levels. This study is also extended to include mixed data types, i.e., both pass/fail data and lifetime data. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated in a case study.
Transnational Governance, Local Politics, and Gender Violence Law in Nicaragua

Many Latin American countries have passed laws intended to address femicide and other forms of violence against women. Yet the implementation of these laws has been inconsistent at best. This article analyzes the case of Nicaragua, which passed a comprehensive law on gender-based violence (Law 779) in 2012. While celebrated by local women’s organizations, Law 779 was subsequently weakened through a series of legislative reforms and executive decrees. This article seeks to explain why state actors in Nicaragua initially supported Law 779 and later sought to undermine it. It argues that in contexts characterized by a high concentration of political power like Nicaragua, transnational governance structures are insufficient to ensure the success of gender violence legislation. Through an analysis of Law 779, this article contributes to broader debates about the nature of state legitimacy and the potential of legal advocacy to address violence against women.
Effect of Nonuniformity on Earthquake Response of a Shear Beam Structure

The response of a class of elastic shear beam structures subjected to earthquake excitation is studied. The accelerogram of the ground is represented by a nonstationary shaped Gaussian white noise process. The general expressions for the evolutionary power spectra and the mean-square responses of the deflection field are developed. The time variations of the response power spectra and the mean-square responses are evaluated and the effects of nonuniformity are discussed.
LARGE-EDDY SIMULATIONS OF COMPRESSIBLE SHEAR FLOWS

LES of compressible boundary layers performed with a variable-density extension of the filtered and selective structure-function models presented in Lesieur & Metais, 1996, Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech., 28, 45–82). Quasi-incompressible transitional boundary layers show the establishement of a streak system of spanwise spacing ~ 100w.u. well upstream of the peak of skin friction, which bolsters up the expanations in terms of algebraic instabilities (e.g. Landahl, 1980, J. Fluid Mech., 98, 243–251). A supersonic compression-ramp flow is found to develop Dean-Gortler vortices with intense and quasi-steady spanwise fluctuations of wall heat-flux.
Site-Specific Incorporation of Unnatural Amino Acids as Probes for Protein Conformational Changes

Site-specific in vivo incorporation of unnatural amino acids provides powerful tools for the study of protein interaction and dynamics. Here, we provide a protocol for the incorporation of six such UAA probes into a GFP reporter system, expressed in Escherichia coli from both arabinose and lactose-inducible expression plasmids using an autoinduction media.
Calcium Oxalate Crystalluria: Crystal Size in Urine

AbstractStudies of calcium oxalate crystals in urine suggest similarities to crystal growth in calcium oxalate renal calculi. Previous reports indicate that urinary crystals in patients in whom stones form are larger than those in normal subjects. We report herein a study on crystal size by structure and habit (shape) based on direct microscopic measurement of crystals in the urine of 27 normal subjects and in 6 of 22 patients in whom stones form. The mean size of all crystals in normal subjects is 12.0 plus or minus 7.8 µm. Calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals are significantly smaller than calcium oxalate dihydrate (p less than 0.01). In 22 patients with stones there was no correlation between crystalluria and severity or duration of disease. The mean crystal size in 6 patients did not support the conclusion that patients in whom stones form excrete larger crystals than normal subjects.
A Morphological Study of Silicon Borides Prepared by CVD

Compounds in the silicon-boron system have been prepared by chemical vapor deposition in the form of refractory protective coatings. Morphological changes which take place as a function of substrate temperature, total pressure, reactant gas composition and carrier gas composition were investigated. Marked changes in film morphology were observed as these CVD parameters were systematically varied.
Differential Effects of Omitting Formative Indicators: A Comparison of Techniques

Research examining the formative specification of constructs has highlighted the need for researchers to capture all relevant causes of a construct of interest. However, the consequences of omitting a formative indicator have not been thoroughly examined. Given that one of the commonly employed techniques for modeling formatively specified constructs, Partial Least Squares, implicitly assumes that all relevant causes of a construct have been modeled, the consequences of omitting one of those are of prime importance. In this research we compare latent variable and PLS techniques on this issue based on theoretical arguments and results from Monte Carlo simulations. In particular, we focus on the presence or absence of estimation bias in the relationships between formative indicators and the formatively specified construct, and between the latter and other constructs in the research model. Our results highlight differences in how these two techniques cope with the omission of formative indicators, and discuss why those differences occur.
Abstract 5400: A comprehensive analysis of the interactome of miR-21, an established oncomir, by Argonaute-CLIP analysis identifies novel conserved and species-specific targets of miR-21 in human liver and hepatocellular carcinoma

MicroRNAs are ~22 nucleotide RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level by binding messenger RNA transcripts. MicroRNA (miR)-21 participates in carcinogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and other malignancies. Here we analyze the miR-21 interactome in HCC by high-throughput sequencing of RNA isolated by Argonaute cross-linking immunoprecipitation (Argonaute-CLIP) in nine HCC cases with matched livers. Argonaute-CLIP identified miR-21 bound to 580 target sites on coding transcripts, of which 332 were located in the coding sequences, 214 in the 39-untranslated region, and 34 in the 59-untranslated region, introns or downstream sequences. Overall, 403 target sites (69.5%) enriched for miR-21 in HCCs relative to liver. We compared expression of miR-21 targets in 377 patients with liver cancer registered in The Cancer Genome Atlas. Ago-CLIP miR-21 enrichment score in HCC distinguished expression of miR-21 targets by their correlation with miR-21 expression. Comparison of the miR-21 interactome in mouse and human livers identified common and species-specific targets. Among targets of miR-21, 27.6% were downregulated in HCC. The miR-21 interactome was predicted to regulate tumor metabolism by inhibiting PPAR alpha/RXR alpha and LXR/RXR signaling. To identify targets of miR-21, we matched Ago-CLIP targets to genes previously reported as aberrantly expressed after anti-miR-21 overexpression in HCC. RMND5A, encoding an E3 ubiquitin ligase, was identified as a potential target of miR-21 regulation and was variably expressed in HCC. Three predicted miR-21 targets, CAMSAP1, DDX1 and MARCKSL1, correlated with HCC patient survival. Collectively, our analysis biochemically identified novel targets of miR-21 likely to play a causal role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Citation Format: Aaron B. Koenig, Juan M. Barajas, Kalpana Ghoshal. A comprehensive analysis of the interactome of miR-21, an established oncomir, by Argonaute-CLIP analysis identifies novel conserved and species-specific targets of miR-21 in human liver and hepatocellular carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5400.
Specific Pro-Inflammatory Signaling Pathways are Induced in Patients with Cardiac Sarcoidosis; Potential Prognostic/Therapeutic Applications

Introduction While cardiac imaging has improved the diagnosis and risk assessment for cardiac sarcoidosis, treatment regimens have consisted of generalized heart failure (HF) therapies and non-specific anti-inflammatory regimens. Thus, improvements in identifying the relative progression of this cardiovascular condition as well as identifying more specific therapeutic targets are necessary. The overall goal of this study was to perform high sensitivity plasma profiling of specific inflammatory pathways in patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidosis. Hypothesis Using large format arrays, specific inflammatory signaling cascades will be upregulated in cardiac sarcoid patients when compared to age matched referent normal subjects. Methods Plasma samples were collected from patients with biopsy confirmed sarcoidosis undergoing F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) (n=32; age 32-75 yrs) and compared to referent normal subjects. Using a high sensitivity, automated multiplex array, soluble cytokine receptor profiles (an index of cytokine activation) were measured and then indexed to referent normal values (Table). As a composite, soluble receptor levels for interleukin (IL)-1, -2, and epidermal growth factor (EGFR) were increased in sarcoid patients. In those patients with cardiac inflammation (FDG uptake), IL-1RII and IL-2Ra subtype receptor levels were higher when compared to no cardiac inflammation as was the soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-II. Conclusions The novel finding from this study was the identification of increased activation of a cluster of soluble receptors, which not only augment inflammatory cell maturation but also transmigration in patients with sarcoidosis and cardiac involvement. The specific change in a cluster of IL receptors may hold prognostic value in cardiac sarcoidosis as well as the potential for more specific therapeutic targeting.
Cavitation Bubbles Remove and Inactivate Listeria and Salmonella on the Surface of Fresh Roma Tomatoes and Cantaloupes

Raw produce has frequently been identified as the source of bacterial pathogens that can cause human illnesses, including listeriosis and salmonellosis. Microbial pathogens may attach and form biofilms on raw fruit surfaces and can be difficult to remove. A cavitation process (injection of bubbles into water) was studied for its effectiveness for removal and inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Newport from the surfaces of fresh Roma tomatoes and cantaloupes. Individual fruit were separately inoculated with each pathogen, then submerged in a water tank and treated with a bubble flow through an air stone using one airflow rate (0 – 14 liters/min.) for up to 60 sec. As airflow increased, pathogen reduction increased up to 1.2 log CFU/fruit greater than with water alone (no bubbles). Additional pathogen reduction in the tank water (organisms detached from the fruit) was observed with the bubble treatments. Therefore, these bubble streams can be used to enhance the detachment of bacteria from fruit surfaces and to inactivate a proportion of these detached microorganisms. Additionally, recoveries of Salmonella from inoculated Roma tomatoes and cantaloupe were determined for treatment water that contained 50 or 150 ppm sodium hypochlorite. Combining both cavitating bubbles and chlorine in the tank water resulted in greater efficacy of removing or inactivating S. Newport from the surface of Roma tomatoes and cantaloupe than with cavitation or chlorine alone. The physical force of a bubble stream on raw produce can effectively detach and inactivate surface bacteria, and has the potential to reduce antimicrobial chemical use and water use in post-harvest packing operations.
Macrophages in the Aging Liver and Age-Related Liver Disease

The number of individuals aged 65 or older is projected to increase globally from 524 million in 2010 to nearly 1. 5 billion in 2050. Aged individuals are particularly at risk for developing chronic illness, while being less able to regenerate healthy tissue and tolerate whole organ transplantation procedures. In the liver, these age-related diseases include non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Hepatic macrophages, a population comprised of both Kupffer cells and infiltrating monocyte derived macrophages, are implicated in several chronic liver diseases and also play important roles in the homeostatic functions of the liver. The effects of aging on hepatic macrophage population dynamics, polarization, and function are not well understood. Studies performed on macrophages derived from other aged sources, such as the bone marrow, peritoneal cavity, lungs, and brain, demonstrate general reductions in autophagy and phagocytosis, dysfunction in cytokine signaling, and altered morphology and distribution, likely mediated by epigenetic changes and mitochondrial defects, that may be applicable to hepatic macrophages. This review highlights recent findings in macrophage developmental biology and function, particularly in the liver, and discusses the role of macrophages in various age-related liver diseases. A better understanding of the biology of aging that influences hepatic macrophages and thus the progression of chronic liver disease will be crucial in order to develop new interventions and treatments for liver disease in aging populations.
Crossing the streams: a framework for streaming analysis of short DNA sequencing reads

We present a semi-streaming algorithm for k-mer spectral analysis of DNA sequencing reads, together with a derivative approach that is fully streaming. The approach can also be applied to genomic, transcriptomic, and metagenomic data sets. We develop two tools for short-read analysis based on these approaches, a method for semi-streaming k-merbased error trimming, and a method for the analysis of error profiles in short reads using a streaming sublinear approach. These tools are implemented in the khmer software package, which is freely available under the BSD License at github.com/ged-lab/khmer/.
Towards the Perfect Optical Fiber

Optical fibers are being used in an ever more diverse array of applications today. Many of these modern applications are in high-power and, particularly, high power-per-unit-bandwidth systems where optical nonlinearities historically have not limited overall performance. Today, however, nominally weak effects, such as stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), are restricting continued scaling to higher optical powers. To address these limitations, the optical fiber industry has focused on fiber geometry-related solutions such as large mode area (LMA) designs. However, since all linear and nonlinear optical phenomena are fundamentally materialsbased in origin, this paper identifies material solutions to present and future performance limitations in high power optical fiber-based systems.
Effect Modifiers of TDP-43-Associated Hippocampal Atrophy Rates in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathological Changes.

Background Transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) is associated with hippocampal atrophy in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but whether the association is modified by other factors is unknown. Objective To evaluate whether the associations between TDP-43 and hippocampal volume and atrophy rate are affected by age, gender, apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4, Lewy bodies (LBs), amyloid-β (Aβ), or Braak neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) stage. Methods In this longitudinal neuroimaging-clinicopathological study of 468 cases with AD neuropathological changes (Aβ-positive) that had completed antemortem head MRI, we investigated how age, gender, APOEɛ4, presence of LBs, Aβ, TDP-43, and Braak NFT stages are associated with hippocampal volumes and rates of atrophy over time. We included field strength in the models since our cohort included 1.5T and 3T scans. We then determined whether the associations between hippocampal atrophy and TDP-43 are modified by these factors using mixed effects models. Results Older age, female gender, APOEɛ4, higher field strength, higher TDP-43, and Braak NFT stages were associated with smaller hippocampi. Rate of atrophy was greater with higher TDP-43 and Braak NFT stage, but lower in older patients. The association of TDP-43 with greater rate of atrophy was enhanced in APOEɛ4 carriers (p = 0.04). Conclusion Neurodegenerative effects of TDP-43 seem to be independent of most factors except perhaps APOE in cases with AD neuropathological changes. TDP-43 and tau appear to behave independently of one another.
Assessing State Capacity Libertarianism

Cowen (2020) argues for a redirection of effort towards “State Capacity Libertarianism,” which keeps the core of policy proposals from libertarianism intact while emphasizing a select set of policies aimed at furthering economic growth. These policies center on the ability of the state to accomplish that which it sets out to accomplish, i.e. state capacity. This paper interprets Cowen’s proposal in terms of an interaction between economic freedom and state capacity. Using four measures of state capacity, it finds that state capacity and economic freedom are neither additive nor complementary. Rather, they are substitutes for one another. These results are uncomfortable for conventional libertarianism, for the advocates of state capacity, and for State Capacity Libertarianism itself. One measure of state capacity we use is a novel measure using data from the Varieties of Democracy dataset, which may be useful for researchers in other contexts.
Solution or isolation: Is boarding school a good solution for left-behind children in rural China?

Abstract In recent decades, rural China has experienced a rapid increase in boarding school enrollment rates and in the population of left-behind children (LBC) (i.e., rural children whose parents migrate to urban areas for work). LBC tend to be worse off in numerous dimensions. At 61 million, China has the world's largest population of LBC. As it provides a different residential environment, boarding school can potentially exacerbate or mitigate the negative effects of parental migration. Using nationally representative data on Chinese families, we estimate the impact of parental migration and boarding school on child outcomes in cognition and physical and mental health. We find that while boarding school has no effect on LBC physical and mental health, it substantially improves performance on achievement tests for both LBC and non-LBC. Policies aimed at improving boarding school conditions in China, may improve not only cognitive outcomes, but also child physical and mental well-being.
Safe Spaces Embedded in Dangerous Contexts: How Chicago Youth Navigate Daily Life and Demonstrate Resilience in High-Crime Neighborhoods.

Much is known about how experiences of community violence negatively affect youth, but far less research has explored how youth remain resilient while living in dangerous neighborhoods. This study addresses this need by analyzing in-depth, geo-narrative interviews conducted with 15 youth (60% Black, 27% Latinx, 53% female, 14 to 17 years old) residing in low-income, high-crime Chicago neighborhoods to explore youths' perceptions of safety and strategies for navigating neighborhood space. After carrying geographical positioning system (GPS) trackers for an eight-day period, youths' travel patterns were mapped, and these maps were used as part of an interview with youth that explored daily routines, with special consideration paid to where and when youth felt safe. Drawing on activity settings theory and exploring youth voice, we find that experiences of community violence are commonplace, but youth describe how they have safe spaces that are embedded within these dangerous contexts. Perceptions of safety and danger were related to environmental, social, and temporal cues. Youth reported four overarching safety strategies, including avoidance, hypervigilance, self-defense, and emotional management, but these strategies considerably varied by gender. We discuss implications for practice and future directions of research. HIGHLIGHTS: This study explored Chicago youths' safety strategies and resilience in high-crime neighborhoods. Safe and dangerous spaces are embedded or overlapping settings. All youth practiced safety strategies but they considerably varied by gender. Perceptions are intersubjectively created due to the codes, rules, and norms of community life. Violence is common and extreme in everyday life of this sample of Chicago adolescents.
Are Plant-Based Analogues Replacing Cow’s Milk in the American Diet?

Retail sales of fluid cow’s milk are decreasing while those of plant-based milk analogues are increasing. In this study, we model the relationship between households’ purchases of both types of products and perform simulations. Results show that growing consumer demand for plant-based products is causing cow’s milk sales to decline somewhat faster than otherwise. However, plant-based products are not a primary driver of sales trends for cow’s milk. The decline in cow’s milk sales is substantially greater than the rise in sales of plant-based analogues.
Solar federalism: What explains the variation in solar capacity additions by India’s states?

Abstract In 2014, India embarked on an ambitious effort to scale-up solar electricity. Despite a major top-level push by the central government, India’s states show stark variation in their performance as measured by installed utility-scale solar capacity. This paper seeks to explain that puzzle. We first code 19 of India’s states on utility-scale solar performance and classify them into categories of Achievers, Middlers, Laggards, and Marginals. We then identify plausible and testable factors of performance including solar irradiance, power deficits, distribution company financial health, coal costs, land access, and political alignment of the state with the central government. Overall, irradiance, distribution company health, coal costs, and land access were the most influential, but counter-intuitively, political alignment was minimally relevant. Achievers tended to have some favorable combination of irradiance, power deficits, distribution company health, coal costs, and in some cases land access. Marginals were associated with unfavorable Discom health, land access, and coal costs. Patterns for Middlers and Laggards were less clear. To identify additional state-specific factors that affected performance, we also carry out detailed case studies for three states - Karnataka (Achiever), Madhya Pradesh (Middler), and Maharashtra (Laggard). These show the importance of political and bureaucratic leadership, path-dependence, and interest group influence. Our findings highlight the challenges of energy transition pathways that may be relevant to other countries with similar federal systems.
Is There Wealth Stability Across Generations in the U.S.? Evidence from Panel Study, 1984-2017

The net wealth accumulation of (grand)parents appears to be strongly determinative of the net wealth holdings of their adult (grand)children. While these general features are understood, few details are known about the persistence of wealth components that determine overall portfolio outcomes and their variance. Using longitudinal data, I show that grandparents and parents figure prominently, not only in net wealth, but also in a range of household portfolio allocations (risky assets, safe assets, non-financial assets) of the current generation. Meanwhile, I find that there is persistence in intergroup disparities in wealth components. I find consistent results whether I examine intergenerational wealth correlation before or after the Great Recession of 2007-2009. These findings shed light on the connection between intergenerational networks, asset building, and intergroup disparities in wealth.
Ultrafast hole transfer from monolayer ReS2 to thin-film F8ZnPc

We report a combined experimental and computational study on the charge transfer properties of heterostructures formed by monolayer 1T′-ReS2 and fluorinated zinc phthalocyanine, F8ZnPc. Two-dimensional (2D) ReS2 monolayer flakes were exfoliated from bulk crystals, and an F8ZnPc film with a thickness of 4 nm was thermally deposited on ReS2. Density functional theory shows that the two materials form a type-II band alignment. In transient absorption measurements, photocarriers are selectively excited in ReS2 and monitored in F8ZnPc. We found that holes in ReS2 can transfer to F8ZnPc on a timescale shorter than 0.35 ps. The transferred holes have a long lifetime in F8ZnPc on the order of 1 ns, confirming the lack of electron transfer. The efficient charge transfer from a 1T′ transition metal dichalcogenide monolayer to an organic semiconductor illustrates the feasibility of developing 2D/organic heterostructures with in-plane anisotropic electronic and optoelectronic properties.
Trends that Impact IR's Future.

The future of IR will evolve as a result of current trends in advances in medicine, disease biology, technology, and IR devices and accoutrements. Changes in the trends that lie at the center of the differentiation of IR from other treatment specialties will have the greatest impact. Differentiation revolves around image guidance knowledge and procedural treatment skills and involves three key components: access, mapping, and action, all of which have the common thread of imaging knowledge. The main trends that are discussed are: image-guided diagnostics (IgDx), image-guided treatment (IgRx), sub-specialization in IgRx, large device design for IgRx, multimodality IgRx, interdisciplinary IgRx, and decentralized IgRx growth. Success in attaining a patient-facing "front-line" patient position will determine the future not only of IR but of radiology as a field. IgRx is anti-commoditization immunization. KEY POINTS:: · It is useful to conceptually separate diagnostic (IgDx) and treatment (IgRx) IR procedures.. · Subspecialization in IgRx will innovate IR practices for all practitioners.. · Advances in IR-tailored imaging equipment and integration of multimodality imaging will create, expand, and facilitate new treatments.. · Other treatment disciplines will be integrated into IgRx in a complementary fashion.. · Expansion of IR services into outpatient imaging sites and outpatient clinics will help establish important direct patient care.. · The adoption of these trends will follow a "diffusion of innovations" sigmoid curve pattern spanning different time intervals.. CITATION FORMAT: · Enzmann D. Trends that Impact IR's Future. Fortschr Rontgenstr 2021; DOI: 10.1055/a-1502-7663.
Equation of States and Ammonia Decomposition in Ammonothermal Systems

Thermodynamic modeling of the ammonia decomposition under ammonothermal conditions (T > 600 K, P > 100 MPa) is presented given recent advances in developing a new, simple equation of state (EOS) describing ammonia, hydrogen, nitrogen and their mixtures under these conditions. The simplified EOS is based on the traditional form of the Beattie-Bridgeman (BB) EOS and expands relevant parameters to second order in density. As a consequence, a seven-parameter EOS is presented and compared to experimental data for ammonia up to 250 MPa and 810 K. Experimental data for ammonia, hydrogen and nitrogen are simulated using the reference multiparameter EOS for each individual gas. Gas mixtures are formed by applying mixing rules with separated contributions for polar and non-polar interactions. The accuracy of the expanded BB EOS is suggested to be 1–2% in pressure for temperatures greater than 700 K for ammonia, hydrogen, nitrogen and NH3–N2–H2 mixtures. Additionally, a general thermodynamic expression for the equilibrium constant is presented and applied to the ammonia decomposition reaction by using non-ideal mixing contributions from the second virial coefficient using the expanded BB EOS. Comparison with experimental data (P <210 MPa, T <810 K) suggests an accuracy of ~2% in pressure.
Optimal transport-based transfer learning for smart manufacturing: Tool wear prediction using out-of-domain data

Abstract Various machine learning-based predictive modeling approaches to tool wear prediction have been introduced over the past few years. However, predicting tool wear under different operating conditions (e.g., depth of cut, feed rate, and workpiece material) with small datasets remains a challenge due to complex tool wear mechanisms. To address this issue, an optimal transport (OT)-based transfer learning algorithm is developed to transfer knowledge on tool wear from one operating condition to another. The OT-based transfer learning model has been demonstrated on a small dataset collected under different operating conditions. Experimental results have shown that the OT-based transfer learning method significantly improved tool wear prediction accuracy.
Ethnic Protection Rackets: Turkish Cypriot Statebuilding before 1974

For the ten years prior to the Turkish partition of Cyprus into Greek and Turkish Cypriot zones, the Turkish Cypriot community lived in distinct ethnic enclaves governed by a parallel Turkish Cypri...
Empirical Analysis of Bi-directional Wi-Fi Network Performance on Mobile Robots and Connected Vehicles.

This paper proposes a framework to measure the important metrics (throughput, delay, packet retransmits, signal strength, etc.) to determine Wi-Fi network performance of mobile robots supported by the Robot Operating Systems (ROS) middleware. We analyze the bidirectional network performance of mobile robots and connected vehicles through an experimental setup, where a mobile robot is communicating vital sensor data such as video streaming from the camera(s) and LiDAR scan values to a command station while it navigates an indoor environment through teleoperated velocity commands received from the command station. The experiments evaluate the performance under 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels with different placement of Access Points (AP) with up to two network devices on each side. The discussions and insights from this study apply to the general vehicular networks and the field robotics community, where the wireless network plays a key role in enabling the success of robotic missions.
HIF-αs promote mitochondrial cardiolipin synthesis and respiration efficiency

4109 The hypoxia-inducible transcription factors, HIF-1 and HIF-2, have been strongly associated with cancer cell growth and survival. HIF-1 is composed of the HIF-1α and HIF-1β subunits; and HIF-2 is composed of the HIF-2α and HIF-1β subunits. Whereas HIF-1β is constitutively expressed, HIF-1α and HIF-2α protein stability and synthesis are regulated by intratumoral hypoxia and genetic alterations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Cancer cells balance glycolysis and aerobic respiration in metabolizing glucose. The role of HIF-1α in mediating glycolysis is well-described. Recently, HIF-1α has been implicated in regulating mitochondrial respiration. The role of HIF-2α in glucose metabolism remains unclear. We hypothesized that HIF-1α and HIF-2α (HIF-αs) cooperate to promote cancer glucose metabolism. To examine the roles of HIF-αs, we disrupted the HIF-1α and HIF-2α genes, alone and in combination, in two human colon cancer cell lines: HCT116 and RKO. Expression of both HIF-αs led to a 5-fold increase in in vitro and in vivo tumor growth. Consistent with the literature, HIF-1α, but not HIF-2α, mediated aerobic glycolysis, as measured by cellular ATP and lactate levels. In addition, both HIF-αs were required to promote mitochondrial respiration efficiency. Specifically, loss of both HIF-αs led to a 3-fold increase in mitochondrial and cellular ROS (as measured by MitoSOX Red and DCFDA), a 2-fold increase in mitochondrial hyperpolarization (as measured by the ratio of MitoTracker Red CMXRos to MitoTracker Green FM), and a 4-fold decrease in oxygen consumption (as measured by the oxygen-sensing fluorescent dye (Ru(DPP)3)). We next determined the mechanisms by which HIF-αs promote mitochondrial respiration efficiency. Cardiolipin is a mitochondrial phospholipid that interacts with electron transport chain proteins to optimize mitochondrial respiration. Global lipidome analyses on isolated mitochondria revealed that the presence of both HIF-αs induced the synthesis of mitochondrial cardiolipin species by 3-6-fold. Microarray analyses identified a novel set of HIF-αs target genes. Two of these genes were PCK2 and ACSL5, which encode for mitochondrial enzymes that catalyze essential steps in cardiolipin synthesis. Subsequent analyses in multiple cell lines confirmed that HIF-αs induce mitochondrial PCK2 and ACSL5 expression by ~4-fold. In addition, mitochondrial PCK2 and ACSL5 expression were ~3-fold increased in human colorectal cancer cancers compared to their adjacent normal mucosa. Together, these data elucidate a novel growth-promoting bioenergetic pathway, in which both HIF-αs induce the expression of genes important for mitochondrial cardiolipin synthesis (PCK2 and ACSL5). This results in increased levels of cardiolipin, an important component of the inner mitochondrial membrane. The consequent increase in mitochondrial respiration efficiency contributes to tumor growth.
Interaction of n-pentane and n-heptane insoluble asphaltenes in brine with clay and sand

Abstract Destabilized asphaltenes cause serious flow assurance problems such as asphaltenes precipitation. This study investigates the impact of clays and salinity on the stability of asphaltenes for five different crude oil samples. First, both n-pentane and n-heptane insoluble fractions of five crude oils were examined under microscope after the interaction with water, brine, and porous media. The porous media was prepared with clay, sand, or sand-clay mixture. A monovalent (NaCl) and a divalent (CaCl2) salts at 0.2% and 4% concentrations were used to prepare the brine solutions. Several systematic microscopic analyses were conducted on the asphaltenes-water and the asphaltenes-brine blends. We have observed that both n-pentane and n-heptane asphaltenes clusters are getting dispersed in water-phase in smaller pieces. This dispersion of asphaltenes clusters form lacework-like structures in the water-phase. The void spaces within these dispersed asphaltenes clusters trap water droplets. This interaction is due to the polar nature of both asphaltenes and water. Further in our systematic analysis, the general trend showed that the polar-polar attraction between water and asphaltenes clusters was disturbed in the presence of dissolved sodium and chlorine ions especially for some oil samples which already contain sodium in its asphaltenes fractions. This phenomenon is observed with the bridge-like formations in the asphaltenes-brine solutions. This indicates that asphaltenes have charged surfaces and the repulsion forces between the surface of the asphaltenes cluster and the dissolved ions in the brine solutions make the asphaltenes cluster align to form a line in the brine solution. The presence of clay in the porous medium reduced the water-asphaltenes or the brine-asphaltenes interaction and resulted in big chunks of asphaltenes-clay mixtures. Our study showed that asphaltenes interact with brine, water, and reservoir fines. Understanding these interactions may help us to mitigate many flow assurance issues such as asphaltenes precipitation and water-in-oil emulsion formation.
Alternative Teams in Strategic Management

All societies and all institutions are in a continuous process of transformation — change has become the only permanent force in contemporary times. Consider same of the changes taking place on industrial and other institutions: Global competitiveness, fluctuations in market demand, the advent of new technologies, changing social and political forces, the fall and rise of governments, and new paradigms for the organisation and management of the enterprise, are just a few of the more relevant changes that challenge contemporary managers.
Black Morocco: A History of Slavery, Race, and Islam

Black Morocco: A History of Slavery, Race, and Islam chronicles the experiences, identity and achievements of enslaved black people in Morocco from the sixteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth century. Chouki El Hamel argues that we cannot rely solely on Islamic ideology as the key to explain social relations and particularly the history of black slavery in the Muslim world, for this viewpoint yields an inaccurate historical record of the people, institutions and social practices of slavery in Northwest Africa. El Hamel focuses on black Moroccans' collective experience beginning with their enslavement to serve as the loyal army of the Sultan Isma'il. By the time the Sultan died in 1727, they had become a political force, making and unmaking rulers well into the nineteenth century. The emphasis on the political history of the black army is augmented by a close examination of the continuity of black Moroccan identity through the musical and cultural practices of the Gnawa.
Cell Signaling by Tyrosine Phosphorylation: The Other Side of the Coin

The study of protein tyrosine phosphatases was undertaken with the assumption that if overexpression or mutations of tyrosine kinases could bring about oncogenicity then, necessarily, overexpression of tyrosine phosphatases would block or reverse transformation. This assumption turned out to be incorrect.
Genotyping of cutaneous melanoma

Until recently, treatment options for patients with metastatic melanoma were very limited. This landscape has evolved dramatically since the discovery of activating mutations in the BRAF gene in ~45% of cutaneous melanomas. Vemurafenib, dabrafenib, and trametinib have all received regulatory approval for the treatment of metastatic melanoma patients with a BRAF V600 mutation. Based on the necessity to document the presence of a BRAF V600 mutation to prescribe these agents, molecular testing is now the standard of care in this disease. However, the options and rationale for testing are evolving rapidly due to an improved understanding of the molecular drivers and heterogeneity of melanoma. Such testing may identify rational combinatorial approaches to prevent or overcome resistance for the approved BRAF inhibitors. In addition, new clinical strategies have been identified for a number of other molecular changes that are detected in this disease, including somatic changes in NRAS , PTEN , CDKN2A , and c-KIT , among others. This review summarizes the current understanding of the genetic landscape of mutations in melanoma, their associations with clinicopathological features, and their implications for clinical testing and treatment.
Introducing a New Paradigm for Computational Earth Science: a Web‐Object‐Based Approach to Earthquake Simulations

Computer simulations will be key to substantial gains in understanding the earthquake process. Emerging information technologies make possible a major change in the way computers are used and data is accessed. An outline of a realizable computational infrastructure includes standardization of data accessibility, harnessing high-performance computing algorithms, and packaging simulation elements as distributed objects across wide networks. These advances promise to reduce dramatically the frustration and cost of doing earthquake science as they transform the fragmentary nature of the field into one of integration and community.
Individual and US County Determinants of Repeat Migration: a Comparison of Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics

Contemporary internal migration trends in the US raise questions about the role of community characteristics in shaping individual-level migration propensities among different racial and ethnic groups. To examine this issue more closely, this research incorporates key county-level characteristics into a study of repeat migration. With data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth merged with US census data, this study found that heavily populated counties and counties with large concentrations of employment in manufacturing industries reduce the odds of primary outmigration, onward migration to other locations, and return migration to a previous county of residence. Counties with a high degree of natural amenity retain longstanding white residents. Net of individual unemployment, the county-level unemployment rate hinders primary and onward migration among whites. In support of the cultural constraints hypothesis – a hypothesis that anticipates divergent community-level effects for minority and majority group members – whites are more likely to engage in repeat migration from counties with smaller shares of non-Hispanic White population whereas blacks are more likely to engage in repeat migration from areas with larger shares of non-Hispanic White population. whites and blacks are more likely to move out of counties with larger shares of foreign-born population. The share of neither non-Hispanic White population nor foreign-born population affects Hispanic repeat migration propensities. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cycle variance: proposing a novel ensemble-based approach to assess the gait rhythmicity on the MIT-Skywalker

A novel ensemble-based approach of cycle variance is proposed for the assessment of gait rhythmicity of people affected by stroke or cerebral palsy. Three impaired participants (two with cerebral palsy and one with a stroke) completed a one-month rehabilitation training program utilizing a novel piece of robotic hardware, the MIT-Skywalker. The MIT-Skywalker trained patients in 3 modes (rhythmic, discrete, and balance mode). Before training, the cycle variance of the three participants across 4 different variables was observed to be significantly higher than that of a speed-matched healthy person. Of the 12 variables measured across the three participants, 11 showed statistically significant decreases after the one-month long trial. For the single stroke participant, cycle variance was measured before and after each trial, showing statistically significant decreases in cycle variance after rhythmic training but not during discrete or balance sessions. We speculate that cycle variance might serve as a diagnostic tool to assess gait rhythmicity.
Synthesis of reliability models from behavioral-performance models

This paper presents a modeling methodology in which a design-engineer can specify a design using a single model which is capable of encapsulating both the performance and dependability characteristics of a system. The model used by the designer is a simulation-based model in which the behavior of the system under consideration is described using a predefined set of primitive modeling constructs. The behavior and characteristics of each primitive construct are defined by a colored Petri net (CPN) which provides an unambiguous mathematical specification of the construct. Further, each primitive construct has associated with it a VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) description which has a one-to-one correspondence with the CPN definition of the construct. The primitive constructs presented here provide a modular approach to system level modeling using CPNs. The key feature of the methodology is that a single model is used to study performance, reliability, and behavior. This methodology eliminates the problem of inconsistency between the different models used to perform high-level analysis and trade-offs. Using such an approach, the same model may be used to study the behavior of a system as well as evaluate its performance and reliability characteristics. >
Rearrangements of ionized carbonyl compounds

Developments in our knowledge of the isomerizations of low-energy [CnH2nO]+˙ and [CnH2nO2]+˙ ions are traced. The reactions of these ions take place by a series of simple steps common to them all. This article represents an extension of the lifelong efforts of Professor McLafferty to provide a unified understanding of the reactions of ions in the gas phase.
The influence of race, sex and age on judgments of emotion portrayed in photographs

In order to determine the influence of sex, age, and race on judgment of emotions portrayed in facial expression, a set of 40 photographs was developed using models of different ages, races and sexes. College students and second grade children of different races and sexes attempted to identify the emotion portrayed in each photograph. Two major conclusions were drawn: 1. Neither the race, sex nor age of the subjects (judges) influences their ability to identify photographs portraying different emotions. 2. The race, sex and possibly age of the faces portrayed in the photographs does influence the ability of people to identify photographs portraying different emotions.
Comparison of intermittent and continuous loading of stationary fixed-film reactors for methane production from wastes

Intermittent loading of a stationary fixed-film reactor (approximately 35 dm3) with bean-blanching or pear-peeling waste allowed the same or higher loading rates and rates of methane production as continuous loading. Slug-loading one-or two-times daily or continuous loading for 7 out of 24 h allowed loading rates of up to 26 kg Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) day−1 m−3 and rates of methane production of up to 3.5 m3 day−1 m−3 packing void volume, the latter almost 30% higher than during continuous (24 h) loading. The efficiency of converting COD into methane decreased noticeably at high intermittent loading rates. During one-or two-times daily loading large amounts of hydrogen were also produced during the first 1–2 h after loading.
Towards a New Comparative History of European Enlightenments: The Problem of Enlightenment Theology in France and the Study of Eighteenth‐century Europe

The problem of Enlightenment Theology in France derives from two still extant, more general problems of Enlightenment historiography, eloquently summarized as long ago as 1987 by Alan Kors. Kors po...