cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract PR15: Predicting the essentialities of protein-protein interactions in cancer

Many protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are essential to cellular proliferation and survival, and thus represent potential targets for novel compounds with high specificity and therapeutic potential in the treatment of cancer. Despite their therapeutic significance, there are currently no high-throughput experimental platforms to interrogate the essentiality of individual protein-protein interactions. The ability to computationally predict or infer PPI essentiality would help prioritize the development of therapeutic targets and advance understanding of cancer biology, and remains a significant barrier. We have developed a computational method to predict PPI essentiality by combining shRNA studies with network models of protein interaction pathways in an analytic framework. High-throughput single-gene shRNA silencing is a well-established experimental approach to study protein essentiality in genome-wide screens. The silencing of a single gene in an shRNA screen effectively disrupts multiple PPIs, masking their individual contributions to the observed protein essentiality. Our method uses a network model to infer cliques of PPIs that are disrupted as each gene is silenced, then uses these sets to formulate an additive model of how the unknown PPI essentialities combine to form the observed protein essentialities. This process is then deconvoluted to recover the unknown essentialities of each PPI using a regularized solver. We performed this analysis in 108 cell lines characterized for protein essentiality in Project Achilles [1, 2]. A superpathway of 2186 proteins and 11488 protein interactions was constructed from prior knowledge databases [3] and protein interaction screenings. We demonstrate the validity of our approach via prediction of essential PPIs such as TP53-MDM4 in cell lines sensitive to nutlin and CDK4-RB1 interactions in cell lines sensitive to CDK4 inhibitors. [1] Cowley, Weir & Vazquez, et al. Nature Scientific Data 1, Article number: 140035. September 30, 2014 [2] Cheung HW, Cowley GS, Weir BA, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2011 Jul 26; 108(30):12372-7. [3] Schaefer CF, Anthony K, Krupa S, et al. Nucleic Acids Research. Jan 2009. 37:674-9 Citation Format: Lee AD Cooper, Josue D. Moran, Zenggang Li, Yuhong Du, Sahar Harati, Andrey A. Ivanov, Phillip Webber, Jonathan J. Havel, Margaret A. Johns, Haian Fu, Carlos S. Moreno. Predicting the essentialities of protein-protein interactions in cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Computational and Systems Biology of Cancer; Feb 8-11 2015; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(22 Suppl 2):Abstract nr PR15.
Zinc: the next global agenda?

The importance of zinc in human nutrition was first recognized during the 1960s, when it was found to be the underlying cause of growth stunting, and of delayed sexual development, in Egyptian adolescents (Prasad, 1990). The interests of nutrition scientists in zinc were renewed during the 1980s and 1990s when it was observed that zinc supplements improved the growth of growth-stunted, predominantly Mexican-American preschool children (Walravens et al., 1989) and failure-to-thrive infants (Hambidge et al., 1985) in Denver, Colorado, and malnourished children in Ecuador (Dirren et al., 1994). During the past decade, there has been a substantial increase in the number of intervention studies conducted to determine whether zinc supplements improve growth and reduce the morbidity of infants and children, or improve pregnancy outcome. These studies are summarized in this article, with the overall purpose of evaluating whether there is a need to pay more attention to zinc deficiency in the global agenda of improving micronutrient status.
Suspension and Debarment on the International Stage: Experiences in the World Bank's Sanctions System

As the world becomes ever more globally integrated, efforts to combat cross-border fraud and corruption become more important. International development banks have worked to protect development funds from fraud and corruption and help their member countries to improve governance and establish robust anti-corruption programs. This article describes the contours of the World Bank’s suspension and debarment (also known as the “sanctions”) system and how debarment functions in the World Bank context. It goes on to describe several lessons learned in the first few years of the current World Bank system. Of course, the World Bank sanctions system differs from national suspension and debarment systems by virtue of the Bank’s status as an international organization. For example, suspension and debarment in the United States is a prophylactic measure designed to protect the government from contractors that are not presently responsible. The European Union’s exclusion provisions arguably serve similar purposes, including protection of public budgets and the public interest. The World Bank’s system, on the other hand, is grounded primarily in the fiduciary duties to its member countries and a desire to deter misconduct and promote development. Accordingly, the purpose and goals of any suspension and debarment system will inevitably dictate the extent to which useful guidance might be gleaned from the World Bank’s experiences. Nevertheless, the World Bank system can still be a useful reference point for those countries considering administrative sanctions systems as part of their anti-corruption toolbox.
Development, organization, and degeneration of the Drosophila sperm flagellum.

The development and degeneration of sperm from Y-mutant, sterile Drosophila melanogaster were studied with emphasis on the differences among the various flagellar microtubules and the physical linkages among the components of the axial fibre complex. During the degenerative process the axoneme is disrupted by the breaking of connexions between adjacent peripheral groups (doublet+satellite) and between the secondary and central fibres, and the microtubules are lost in a definite sequence: (1) inner portion of B-tubule, (2) outer portion of A-tubule, (3) inner portion of A-tubule, (4) outer portion of B-tubule, (5) central and accessory tubules. The observations support the conclusion that the various microtubules are compositionally different and, further, that the A- and B-tubules are, in turn, composed of differing outer and inner halves. Observations on the development and subsequent breaking apart of the various flagellar structures demonstrate the presence of the following physical linkages: (1) satellite-to-satellite, (2) A-tubule to adjacent B-tubule, (3) A-tubule to adjacent satellite (accessory tubule), (4) A-tubule to secondary fibres, (5) secondary fibres to central tubules, and (6) a connexion between the two central fibres.
Inhalational mercury toxicity from artisanal gold extraction reported to the Oregon poison center, 2002-2015

Context: Mercury exposure has been described among small-scale gold mining communities in developing countries, but reports of inhalational mercury toxicity among home gold extractors in the US rem...
Experimental Microbial Evolution of Extremophiles

Experimental microbial evolution (EME) and its variant, adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE), are emerging empirical strategies for understanding fundamental biological processes in microbes. Integration of high throughput analytical methods combined with genetic selection leverage the power of these methods, particularly ALE, for the production of new biological traits while providing insight into their mechanistic basis. Though traditionally applied to model organisms, in this chapter, these methods are extended to studies using microbial extremophiles with an emphasis on current studies from our laboratory because of the near absence of published literature. Theoretic considerations are presented first. These are followed by descriptions of technologies that are required to extend these evolutionary methods to the study of extremophiles. Finally, the application of ALE is demonstrated using two distinct types of extremophiles. These include the hyperthermophilic anaerobic bacterium Thermotoga maritima, and the extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. For T. maritima, the evolutionary genomics of deletion formation is presented, and for S. solfataricus, the role of insertion sequence elements is considered during the evolution of increased thermoacidophily. These examples demonstrate the utility of experimental evolutionary methods in association with extremophiles.
Reformed Epistemology in Light of Encroachment

We have argued a normal adult typically has access to both the content and efficacy of the grounds of her action-guiding beliefs. As those familiar with the contemporary epistemology literature are aware, this access requirement can be cashed out in a number of ways depending on one’s overall theory of internal justification.
Assessing the Use of Social Media in Massive Open Online Courses.

The study explores whether the use of Twitter in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) promotes the interaction among learners. The social network analysis shows that instructors still play a very central role in the social media communication and the communication network between students shrinking over time. The mere use of social media fails to promote learner-learner interaction. More research is needed for understanding learner motivation and how instructional design can help increase their engagement and participation.
Myeloid Progenitor Cells from Gadd45a and Gadd45b-Deficient Mice Are Sensitized to Genotoxic-Stress Induced Apoptosis.

GADD45 (Growth arrest and DNA damge) regulates cell growth following exposure to diverse stimuli. It has been shown that, mice lacking the gadd45a gene exhibit genomic instability and increased carcinogenesis, but the exact role of the gadd45 family genes still remains unclear. In this study we have aimed at determining the effect of gadd45a or gadd45b deficiency on the response of bone marrow derived myeloid cells to genotoxic stress agents by using gadd45a or gadd45b null mice. We have found that myeloid progenitor cells from gadd45a or gadd45b-null mice are more sensitive to ultraviolet-radiation (UV), VP-16 or daunorubicin induced apoptosis. Introduction of wild-type gadd45 into gadd45-deficient bone marrow cells restored the wild-type apoptotic phenotype. In-vitro colony formation following stress responses has shown that bone marrow cells from gadd45a or gadd45b-deficient mice have a decreased ability to form haematopoetic colonies. Gadd45a or gadd45b-deficient bone marrow cells also displayed defective G2/M cell cycle checkpoint following exposure to either UV and V-16 but were still able to undergo G2/M arrest following exposure to daunorubicin, indicating the existence of different G2/M checkpoints in response to these anticancer agents. Taken together these findings identify gadd45a or gadd45b as anti-apoptotic gene(s), and suggests that the absence of gadd45a or gadd45b results in higher susceptibility of haematopoetic cells to UV radiation and certain anticancer drugs.
Life History Evolution: An Explanatory Framework

The purpose of this chapter is to supply the reader with foundational information about life history theory without which the remainder of the book would not make sense. Herein, it is explained that life history was originally an exclusively biological theory relevant to the timing of gestation, development, maturation, and death. Later, it was used to explain variation among human populations not only on these core biological variables, but also on psychological and social variables. Psychological variables include personality traits like conscientiousness, mating strategy, and intelligence, while sociological variables include altruistic effort, cultural capital, and communal affiliation. With this primer on life history evolution, the reader can better assimilate specific life history knowledge detailed in subsequent sections.
DETERMINANTS OF FUNCTIONAL MOBILITY IN OLDER ADULTS

Background and Purpose: Physiological changes with ageing are associated with muscle strength and physical activity (PA) declines in older adults. The purpose of this study was to assess if changes in muscle strength and time spent in PA could predict gait speed (GS) in older adults. Methods: The study population was identified from the NHANES 1999 - 2000 data set. All adults over the age of 64 years were included in the study. GS was assessed using a 20-foot timed walk. Quadriceps muscle strength was assessed using the Kim Kom dynamometer and recorded as the peak force in newtons (N). Time spent in PA was assessed by a questionnaire. Results: Data from 198 older adults were included in the study. Muscle strength was significantly associated with timed walk (r = -0.217, p <0.05). Using the enter method, our regression model with muscle strength, PA, BMI, age and gender as predictors explained 18.1% of the variance in GS (F(5,191)= 8.451, R2 =.181, p < 0.001). Discussion: Muscle strength, age and BMI were found to be significant predictors of GS in older adults. The walk time decreased by 0.13 seconds for every 1 N unit increases in strength. On the other hand, the walk time increased by 0.01 and 0.145 seconds respectively for every 1 unit increase in age and BMI. Conclusion: Based on the standardized coefficients, strength appears to have the biggest impact on GS. Gender and physical activity duration did not significantly predict gait speed performance in older adults
Seasonal Variation in Pediatric Chronic Pain Clinic Phone Triage Call Volume

Chronic pain is highly prevalent in youth and often results in significant health care usage and familial distress. Telephone triage nurses in pediatric pain clinics provide support and consultation to families and engage parents of pediatric pain patients in interdisciplinary intervention efforts. Despite evidence of winter predominance in rates of pain-related and psychiatric complaints, seasonal variations have not been examined in terms of the demand placed on pain clinic triage nurses. The present study investigated seasonal patterns in the frequency and type of phone calls made over the course of 1 year to an interdisciplinary outpatient pediatric chronic pain clinic at a large Midwestern children's hospital. Pain complaints, reasons for phone calls, and call outcomes (e.g., medication changes, consultation with medical or mental health providers) were recorded in patient charts and retrospectively reviewed by the clinic registered nurse. A total of 721 calls regarding 253 patients were made over the course of 1 year. Results indicated that overall call volume across pain conditions was more than two times greater in the winter than in the summer (χ2 = 64.13, p < .001), and the odds of a call involving headache pain were almost twice as likely in the winter as in the summer. The majority of calls required consultation with physicians and/or mental health providers. Present data may be useful for pediatric chronic pain clinics making staffing decisions throughout the year because the winter season appears to place a significantly greater demand on triage nurses.
On Phase Response Function Based Decentralized Phase Desynchronization

Desynchronization is a powerful tool to achieve round-robin scheduling, which is crucial in applications as diverse as media access control of communication networks, realization of analog-to-digital converters, and scheduling of traffic flows in intersections. Due to the remarkable scalability and simplicity, pulse-coupled oscillators based desynchronization is receiving increased attention. In this paper, we systematically characterize pulse-coupled oscillators based decentralized phase desynchronization and propose an interaction function that is more general than the existing results. Numerical simulations show that the proposed pulse-based interaction function also has better robustness to pulse losses, time delays, and frequency errors than the existing results.
Separation of PEGylated Gold Nanoparticles by Micellar Enhanced Electrospun Fiber Based Ultrathin Layer Chromatography.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are of great interest in many fields, especially in biomedical applications. Thiol terminated poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) is the most widely used polymer to increase the biocompatibility of nanoparticle therapeutics. Herein, a rapid method for separation and characterization of PEGylated AuNPs on an ultrathin layer chromatographic (UTLC) plate using electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers as the stationary phase is described. AuNPs with sizes ranging from 10 to 80 nm and 30 nm AuNPs coated with various molecular weight of PEG (2, 5, 10 and 20 kDa) were all successful-ly separated by UTLC using optimized conditions. The fabrication of electrospun UTLC is simple, fast and inexpensive. The UTLC, with much thinner sorbent layer (10 times thinner than traditional TLC) and small fiber size (~300 nm), requires min-imal mobile phase solvent and provides faster separation and higher resolution compared to other separation methods for AuNPs. AuNPs with different sizes and different ...
Negligible effect of twin-slip interaction on hardening in deformation of a Mg-3Al-1Zn alloy

Abstract Extruded magnesium alloys with a strong basal texture present a strong tension-compression asymmetry in deformation due to the fact that dislocation slips dominate plastic deformation in tension along the extrusion direction (ED) whereas twinning dominates plastic deformation in compression along the ED. The deformation characteristics allows for a study of the twin-slip interaction by introducing dislocations in the material before activating twinning. In the current work, dislocations of different densities are first introduced by prestraining in tension an extruded Mg-3Al-1Zn alloy along the ED to 5% and 10% of total strain, respectively. Then the loading direction is reversed to compression such that deformation twinning is activated. The results show that the hardening rate after different prestrains remains nearly unchanged, indicating that twin-slip interaction produces negligible effect on strain hardening. The yield stress in the reversed compression increases only slightly with increasing prestrain: ~20 MPa at every 5% increase in prestrain. Electron backscatter diffraction results show that prestraining can retard twin nucleation at the very early stage of plastic deformation, but it has little effect on twin growth.
Comparing the research productivity of social work doctoral programs using the h-Index

The purpose of the study was to examine the productivity of faculty in social work doctoral programs. This study builds on previous investigations on the scholarship of social work faculty using the h-Index (i.e., citation analysis). This study examined the scholarly productivity of the full population (N = 1699) of tenure-track faculty in all 76 United States social work doctoral programs by analyzing the h-Index scores of each program. Information on funding sources, regional location, year of establishment, and faculty demographics was collected to better understand why faculty and programs differ in their h-Index. A hierarchical regression analysis was used in creating a predictive model. The final model explained 51% of the variance in h-Index scores (R2 = .51). Academic rank was the strongest predictor of school h-Index. Each school’s faculty size, gender proportion, region, college age, and auspice also contributed to the predictive power of the model. The proportion of senior faculty (Associate Professors and Full Professors) and college age were the strongest predictors based on standardized regression coefficients. The finding that academic rank contributed the most variance to the regression model provides empirical support to the long-argued importance of publication in career advancement. The overall results of the model confirm that institutional factors such as faculty size, region, and auspice do have unique effects on research productivity even after accounting for individual level differences in faculty across diverse social work programs.
SECONDARY BATTERIES – NICKEL SYSTEMS | Nickel–Zinc

A brief history of the zinc–nickel oxide battery (commonly called nickel–zinc) is presented, followed by a discussion of each component of the zinc–nickel oxide cell, including the reactions at each electrode and the status of each component. Cell design considerations are presented. Information on the currently available zinc–nickel oxide cells is presented and discussed along with applications. These cells are well suited for applications such as power tools because of their high specific power, relatively low cost, and reasonable cycle life. Development needs for further improvements in the cell and its components are reviewed.
Walter Pabst. Novellentheorie und novellendichtungzur geschichte ihrer antinomie in den romanischen literaturen. Hamburg : UniversitÃ¤t Hamburg, 1953. 254 p. (Abhandlungen aus dem gebiet der Auslandskunde, Band 58, Reihe B. Völkerkund und Sprache, Band 32)

Se reseno el libro: Novellentheorie und Novellendichtung. Zur Geschichte ihrer Antinomie in den romanischen Literaturen.
The Search for the Supermodulus Effect

The supermodulus effect has been reported as an anomalous increase of as much as several hundred percent in the elastic properties of certain compositionally-modulated thin metal films as the wavelength of the composition modulation decreases near 2 nm. Although elastic property variations have been detected by a variety of methods, including mechanical deflection experiments and acoustic measurements, the sign, magnitude and physical basis for such an effect remain in dispute. We report on the mechanical properties of compositionally-modulated Au-Ni and Ag-Pd thin films as determined by three different mechanical deflection experiments: nanoindentation, microbeam deflection and bulge testing. Au-Ni films were fabricated by alternately sputtering Au and Ni onto oxidized Si substrates and were tested by nanoindentation and microbeam deflection techniques. The nanoindentation experiments reveal a decrease of about 15% in the indentation modulus at a composition wavelength near 1.6 nm. The microbeam deflection experiments showed only small variations in in-plane stiffness but did reveal strongly wavelength-dependent substrate interaction stresses in these films. A simple analysis of the bulge test indicates that these stresses can reproduce the major features of the supermodulus effect, as reported from bulge test results, as artifacts of the analysis method. A more thorough evaluation of the bulge test shows that this technique can be used to obtain accurate and reproducible results if the initial and boundary conditions are properly accounted for. Ag-Pd films were also prepared by sputtering and were tested using improved sample preparation, bulge testing and data analysis techniques. Variations in the biaxial modulus were small and in agreement with the beam deflection results.
Coronary-prone Behavior, Type A

In the late 1950s, the Type A behavior pattern was described as a contributing factor in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). Comprised of impatience, achievement striving, competitiveness, and hostility, this pattern does predict the development of CHD. However, inconsistencies in the available research have led to the study of individual elements of the pattern. Hostility, and more recently dominance, have emrged in such studies as significant risk factors for CHD and premature mortality. Psychophysiological stress responses are a likely mechanism linking such behavioral traits with disease, and related interventions have been found effective in preventing recurrent coronary events.
COMPARISON OF SLEEP-DISORDERED BREATHING AMONG HEALTHY ELDERLY IN THE SEVENTH, EIGHTH, AND NINTH DECADES OF LIFE

We investigated the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in healthy 80 year-old subjects (n = 38) as compared with healthy 70-(n = 33) and 60-year-old subjects (n = 34). The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) increased significantly across decades: 39.5% (15 of 38) of 80 year olds, 33.3% (11 of 33) of 70 year olds, and 2.9% (1 of 34) of 60 year olds had an AHI greater than or equal to 5 (chi 2 = 14.0, p less than 0.001). The prevalence of SDB as measured by a more stringent apnea index criterion of greater than or equal to 5 was 18.9% of those in their 80s, 12.1% in their 70s, and 0% in their 60s (chi 2 = 6.63, p less than 0.05). Significant gender differences were noted in the proportion of subjects with AHI greater than or equal to 10: 22.4% of men versus 5.4% of women (chi 2 = 4.25, p less than 0.05). These data suggest that SDB increases with advancing age even in the healthy elderly and may be more marked in healthy men than women.
New-generation DuPont Dow fluoroelastomers

Abstract Viton made with the Advanced Polymer Architecture (APA) has been described as the beginning of a new era in specialty fluoroelastomers, providing faster curing, shorter cycle times and significantly enhanced demolding and end-use performance. Now that DuPont Dow Elastomers has been delivering the new products to compounders and seal and hose manufacturers for more than two years, is the breakthrough technology living up to that bold claim? This article reviews the new APA polymer types, looks at industry applications, and reports on customer experiences.
Nutrition and Metabolism in Sepsis and Multisystem Organ Failure

Sepsis and multiple organ failure produce profound metabolic changes that can lead to hepatic and musculoskeletal failure. Once these changes occur, survival of the patient is questionable. Thus, prevention of organ failure and sepsis by adequate nutrition, organ support, and meticulous surgical care is most important.
Delayed intra-articular pseudoaneurysm of the dorsalis pedis artery following arthroscopic Broström results in an unusual clinical presentation.

Pseudoaneurysms of the dorsalis pedis artery are rare complications following arthroscopic surgery. This manuscript reports a case of an intra-articular pseudoaneurysm presenting nearly 5 months following an arthroscopic Brostrom procedure. The rarity of this complication and the patient’s unusual clinical presentation prompted the use of imaging to diagnose the problem and guide management. Although imaging artifacts are often a nuisance, recognition of clinically relevant artifacts can help make a diagnosis. This case illustrates such a situation.
Hepatic STAT3 inhibition amplifies the inflammatory response in obese mice during sepsis.

The purpose of this study was to better understand the role obesity plays in the inflammatory response during sepsis, specifically regarding the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of tr...
Attitudes Toward Globalization in Ranked Ethnic Societies

In ethnically ranked societies, the gains from trade hold redistributive implications for members of different ethnic groups. In this paper, we argue that trade provides new avenues of economic advancement for individuals belonging to ethnic groups that have historically been excluded from domestic labor markets and compartmentalized into lower-skilled occupations. In developing countries that hold a comparative advantage in producing lower-skilled labor-intensive goods, members of discriminated ethnic groups therefore stand to gain relatively more from an open economy. We present evidence from three large, post-election surveys of Indian voters from the period 1999 to 2009 to show that individuals belonging to disadvantaged caste and religious communities are significantly more likely to support trade liberalization. We then probe the mechanisms underlying this finding by using an original survey experiment on a nationally representative sample of Indian voters. We find that members of dominant ethnic groups focus exclusively on economic considerations while developing trade policy preferences. For members of discriminated groups, by contrast, ethnicity considerations are paramount and reinforce the effects of material self-interest. Our findings point to ethnicity as a key determinant of economic policy preferences regarding globalization for disempowered communities in ethnically segmented societies.
Detection and Characterization of Silver Nanostructures in Consumer Products

Silver (Ag) is one among the few nanomaterials which are widely used across several consumer products. However, there is limited research on detection and characterization of Ag nanostructures in complex matrices such as consumer products. Most previous studies for analytical method development were based on Ag liquid formulations or with standard materials. In this study, a total of fifteen commercial products including dietary supplements, deodorants, fabric, skin protectants, and toothpastes that declare nano or colloidal Ag ingredients were investigated. To characterize the quantity, size, size distribution, and morphology of Ag nanoparticles used in the products, several analytical instrumental techniques such as inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICPMS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) were employed. Study results showed that Ag nanoparticles were found in eleven of the fifteen investigated commercial products, where the majority of Ag nanoparticles were spherical and smaller than 50 nm. The advantages and limitations of size characterization techniques were discussed with respect to product type. A combination of characterization techniques was highly desired based on the product type and other ingredients used to confirm the presence of nanostructures in consumer products.
Effect of oil reactivity on salinity profile design during alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding

Abstract This study focused on the influence of oil reactivity (ability to react with alkali to generate in situ surfactants) on salinity profile design during alkaline/surfactant/polymer (ASP) flooding. Two surrogate oils with different total acid number (TAN) were used. After determination of optimum salinity via phase behavior tests, 3 ASP corefloods with I-III-I, II-III-I (negative salinity gradient), and I-II-I salinity profiles were performed for each oil. ASP flooding was applied as a post-polymer enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method in this study. The results demonstrated: (1) for both low TAN oil and high TAN oil, when I-III-I salinity profile was employed, incremental oil recovery was less than 20% original oil in place (OOIP); (2) when negative salinity gradient was applied, high oil recovery from 33.5% to 38.5% OOIP was achieved over polymer flooding, resulting in cumulative recovery over 95% in spite of oil reactivity; (3) distinct trends were observed for corefloods with I-II-I salinity profile. For low TAN oil, an incremental recovery of only 20% OOIP was attained; by contrast, for high TAN oil, the incremental recovery was as high as 35.1%, which could be attributed to the generation of a large amount of in situ soaps that had lower optimum salinity compared to the added surfactants; and (4) ASP flooding proved to be an effective EOR approach to significantly reduce residual oil after polymer flooding if appropriate salinity profile was adopted. This study provides some guidance on salinity profile design when ASP flooding is considered for oils with different reactivity.
Acoustic Droplet Vaporization in Acoustically Responsive Scaffolds: Effects of Frequency of Excitation, Volume Fraction and Threshold Determination Method.

Abstract Ultrasound-induced vaporization of liquid perfluorocarbon (PFC) droplets into microbubbles, termed acoustic droplet vaporization (ADV), has potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Recently, we demonstrated how ADV—a threshold-based phenomenon—can modulate the release of biomolecules from composite hydrogels, thereby stimulating regenerative processes, such as angiogenesis. These composite hydrogels, called acoustically responsive scaffolds (ARSs), consist of monodispersed, micron size PFC emulsions embedded within a fibrin matrix. This study investigated the effects of frequency of excitation (2.25, 5, 7.5 and 10 MHz) and volume fraction (0.05%, 0.2% and 1% [v/v]) of monodispersed, double emulsions in the ARSs on the ADV threshold. We determined and compared the ADV thresholds via acoustic methods, including active detection, passive detection and attenuation, as well as an echogenicity-based method using B-mode imaging. The ADV threshold determined via these four techniques showed an increasing trend with frequency of excitation. Further analysis of the wave propagation showed that the amplitudes of high frequency harmonics were diminished in ARSs with high volume fractions of emulsion. The ADV threshold inversely correlated with the volume fraction of emulsion at the lowest excitation frequency. However, at higher frequencies, possibly due to the high acoustic reflectivity of the PFC emulsions, the ADV threshold correlated directly with the volume fraction of the emulsion. Additionally, the ADV efficiency correlated with the supra-threshold acoustic pressure. Overall, these results elucidate fundamental acoustic properties of the ARSs, which can be used in future applications.
Interest Dilution as Contribution-Default Remedy in LLCs and Partnerships

LLC and partnership agreements often provide that members will make additional contributions according to a pre-determined schedule or in response to capital calls. Agreements also typically include contribution-default remedies. Interest dilution is a common type of contribution-default remedy. This article identifies various types of interest-dilution contribution-default remedies and illustrates how they can differently affect the economic interests of both defaulting and contributing members based upon the denominator used to compute the effect of default and contribution. The article informs the drafting process, illustrates the economic consequences of interest dilution, and lays the foundation for examining the tax and other consequences of such remedies.
Asymmetries in the Acceptability and Felicity of English Negative Dependencies: Where Negative Concord and Negative Polarity (Do Not) Overlap.

Negative Concord (NC) constructions such as the news anchor didn’t warn nobody about the floods (meaning ‘the news anchor warned nobody’), in which two syntactic negations contribute a single semantic one, are stigmatized in English, while their Negative Polarity Item (NPI) variants, such as the news anchor didn’t warn anybody about the floods, are prescriptively correct. Equating acceptability with grammaticality, this pattern has led linguists to treat NC as ungrammatical in “Standard” or standardized English (SE). However, it is possible that SE grammars do generate NC sentences, and their low incidence and acceptability is instead due to social factors. To explore this question, and the relationship between NC and NPI constructions, we compared the acceptability of overtly negative noun phrases (e.g. nobody), NPIs (e.g. anybody), and bare plurals (e.g. people), in negative contexts and in conditionals. Negative items were followed by a consequence which supported their single negative meaning, while conditional items were followed by a consequence compatible with the NPI and the bare plural but not the negative noun phrase. Acceptability ratings of the critical NC sentences were reliably lower than constructions with NPIs and bare plurals, but the consequences for all three of these sentence types were rated highly. This reflects an asymmetry in participants’ acceptance of NC and their readiness to interpret it in context. A follow-up study with only conditionals revealed that speakers can also find NPIs infelicitous in conditional contexts with consequences that are compatible with a negative interpretation of the NPI, and that negative arguments are felicitous in these same contexts. Taken together, the results support the hypothesis that speakers who do not accept NC have grammars that generate both NC and NPI constructions, and further, that these speakers have two underlying structures for any-NPIs in English.
Using SDP to Parameterize Universal Kernel Functions

We propose a new class of universal kernel functions which admit a linear parametrization using positive semidefinite matrices. We refer to kernels of this class as Tessellated Kernels (TKs) due to the observation that if applied to kernel-based learning algorithms, the resulting discriminants are defined by continuous piecewise-polynomial functions with hyper-rectangular domains whose vertices are determined by the training data. The number of parameters used to define these TKs is determined by the length of an associated monomial basis. However, even for a single monomial basis function the TKs are universal in the sense that the resulting discriminants occupy a hypothesis space which is dense in L 2 . This implies that the use of TKs for learning the kernel (aka kernel learning) can obviate the need for Gaussian kernels and associated problem of selecting bandwidth - a conclusion verified through extensive numerical testing on soft margin Support Vector Machine (SVM) problems. Furthermore, our results show that when the ratio of the number of training data to features is high, the proposed method will significantly outperform other algorithms for learning the kernel. Finally, TKs can be integrated efficiently with existing Multiple Kernel Learning (MKL) algorithms such as SimpleMKL.
High Dietary Fat and Selenium Concentrations Exert Tissue- and Glutathione Peroxidase 1–Dependent Impacts on Lipid Metabolism of Young-Adult Mice

BACKGROUND Excessive dietary selenium (Se; 3 mg/kg) or fat (>25%) intakes and overproduction of glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) adversely affect body lipid metabolism. OBJECTIVE The objective was to reveal impacts and mechanisms of a moderately high Se and a high fat intake on lipid metabolism in Gpx1 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. METHODS The KO and WT mice (males, 12-wk-old, body weight = 24.8 ± 0.703 g) were allotted to 4 groups each (n = 5) and fed a sucrose-torula yeast basal diet (5% corn oil) supplemented with 0.3 or 1.0 mg (+Se) Se/kg (as sodium selenite) and 0% or 25% [high-fat (HF)] lard for 6 wk. Multiple physiological and molecular biomarkers (68) related to lipid metabolism and selenogenome expression in plasma, liver, and/or adipose tissue were analyzed by 2-way (+Se by HF) ANOVA. RESULTS Compared with the control diet, the +Se diet decreased (P < 0.05) body-weight gain and plasma and liver concentrations of lipids (22-66%) but elevated (≤1.5-fold, P < 0.05) adipose tissue concentrations of lipids in the WT mice. The +Se diet up- and downregulated (P < 0.05) mRNA and/or protein concentrations of factors related to lipogenesis, selenogenome, and transcription, stress, and cell cycle in the liver (26% to 176-fold) and adipose tissues (14% to 1-fold), respectively, compared with the control diet in the WT mice. Many of these +Se diet effects were different (P < 0.05) from those of the HF diet and were eliminated or altered (P < 0.05) by the KO. CONCLUSIONS The +Se and HF diets exerted tissue-specific and GPX1 expression-dependent impacts on lipid metabolism and related gene expression in the young-adult mice. Our findings will help reveal metabolic potential and underlying mechanisms of supplementing moderately high Se to subjects with HF intakes.
Maternal height and double-burden of malnutrition households in Mexico: stunted children with overweight or obese mothers.

Objective: To assess the association between short maternal height and four types of mother–child nutritional status groupings within Mexican households. Design: We classified mother–child dyads into four groups: stunted child and a non-overweight/non-obese mother (stunting-only), non-stunted child and an overweight/obese mother (overweight-only), stunted child with an overweight/obese mother (double-burden) and households with neither child stunting nor overweight/obese mothers (neither-condition). We assessed the association between maternal height and mother–child nutrition status using multinomial logistic regression, controlling for socio-economic covariates. Setting: Nationally representative cross-section of households from the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey. Participants: Children <5 years of age were matched to their mothers, resulting in a sample of 4706 mother–child dyads. Results: We found that among children with stunting, 53·3% have an overweight/obese mother. Double-burden was observed in 8·1% of Mexican households. Maternal short stature increased the probability of stunting-only by 3·5% points (p.p.) and double-burden by 9·7 p.p. (P < 0·05). The inverse association was observed for overweight-only and neither-condition households, where the probability of these outcomes decreased by 7·2 and 6 p.p. in households with short-statured mothers (P < 0·05), respectively. Conclusions: Women with short stature are more likely to develop overweight and simultaneously have a stunted child than those who are not short-statured. Our findings underline the challenges faced by public health systems, which have to balance the provision of services for both an undernourished and increasingly overweight/obese population.
Magnetic anomalies associated with domain wall freezing and coupled electron hopping in magnetite nanorods

Abstract Magnetite has fascinated researchers for decades, due to its wide range of applications from spintronics to biomedicine. Despite a large body of works aimed at its magnetic properties, no consensus has been reached on the physical origin of the low temperature magnetic anomalies observed in magnetite. Although, a lot of work has been done in studying magnetite nanoparticles, but studies on the low temperature anomalies in those nanoparticles still remains unresearched. We report on the observation of the low temperature magnetic anomalies in highly crystalline, stoichiometric Fe3O4 nanorods and relate them to the coupled electron hopping relaxation process and domain wall motion. Both DC and AC susceptibility show the presence of a hump around 35 K, which is associated with the relaxation of Fe+2 extra electrons. Radio-frequency transverse susceptibility (TS) measurements indicated a noticeable increase in anisotropy field below ~ 25 K, which is attributed to the rearrangement of Fe+2 electrons in the octahedral sites. TS experiments also revealed the domain wall freezing below ~ 35 K. Our combined DC, AC and TS susceptibility studies shed light on the complex nature of the low-temperature magnetic behavior in nanostructured magnetite.
Cognitive Impulsivity as a Mediator of the Parental Knowledge-Childhood Aggression Relationship:

In a previous study, reactive criminal thinking or cognitive impulsivity mediated the relationship between parental knowledge and delinquency. This study sought to determine whether cognitive impul...
Advances in Facial Reanimation: Management of the Facial Nerve in the Setting of Vestibular Schwannoma

While vestibular schwannomas are benign in nature, their treatment carries risk of facial nerve injury. Facial palsy causes significant physical and psychological morbidity. This article focuses on contemporary recommendations for the management of facial palsy in the setting of vestibular schwannoma. Approximately 5–15% of patients experience long-term facial palsy following resection of vestibular schwannoma. Facial reanimation should be considered in patients with facial paralysis without evidence of recovery by 6 months post-operatively. Treatment of facial paralysis aims at restoration of facial symmetry and reduction of functional morbidity through wide range of treatment methods, from static procedures and injectable treatments to nerve transfers and regional or free muscle transfers. Facial palsy is a dreaded complication of vestibular schwannoma extirpation. Many treatment options exist, and early referral to a facial nerve specialist should be offered to patients with facial palsy for prompt evaluation and treatment.
Robust RRAM-based In-Memory Computing in Light of Model Stability

Resistive random-access memory (RRAM)-based in-memory computing (IMC) architectures offer an energy-efficient solution for DNN acceleration. However, the performance of RRAM-based IMC is limited by device nonidealities, ADC precision, and algorithm properties. To address this, in this work, first, we perform statistical characterization of RRAM device variation and temporal degradation from 300mm wafers of a fully integrated CMOS/RRAM 1T1R test chip at 65nm. Through this, we build a realistic foundation to assess the robustness. Second, we develop a cross-layer simulation tool that incorporates device, circuit, architecture, and algorithm properties under a single roof for system evaluation. Finally, we propose a novel loss landscape-based DNN model selection for stability, which effectively tolerates device variations and achieves a post-mapping accuracy higher than that with 50% lower RRAM variations. We demonstrate the proposed method for different DNNs on both CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 datasets.
Combustion in the Boundary Layer on a Porous Surface

The position of the diffusion flame in a boundary layer with uniform mixture injection from a porous wall parallel to a uniform air stream is determined under the conditions of laminar, steady flow with zero streamwise pressure gradient. Under the assumption of fast forward reaction rate, solutions of the boundary layer forms of the conservation laws of aerothermochemistry are obtained leading to a formula for the downstream velocity at the flame in terms of composition and flow variables. The rates of change of conditions at the wall in the streamwise direction are assumed to be relatively small. Methods of treating complex reaction systems are described, and a generalized form of the Reynolds analogy is developed.
A Study Identifying Biological Evolution-Related Misconceptions Held by Prebiology High School Students

Students bring a diverse array of ideas about natural events to their science classes, and many of these ideas are often at variance with the scientifically accepted views. Numerous studies have identified multiple biological evolution-related misconceptions held by select groups of students. Collectively, these studies repeatedly indicate that students with varying educational backgrounds have difficulties accurately understanding the concepts of evolution. Because scientific literacy in the field of biology necessitates a basic understanding of evolution concepts and theory, students’ possession of biological evolution-related misconceptions is problematic. The focus of this study was to identify the types and prevalence of such misconceptions within a state’s public high schools’ prebiology students and to correlate those findings with demographic variables. Some 993 students enrolled in their initial high school biology course during the 2010-2011 academic years in one of 42 Oklahoma public high schools served as this study’s unit of analysis. The Biological Evolution Literacy Survey which presents 23 biological misconception statements grouped into five categories, served as the research tool for identifying students’ misconceptions, calculating conception index scores, and collecting demographic data. Multiple statistical analyses were performed to identify statistically significant (p < 0.05) relationships between variables related to students’ number and types of misconceptions. Analysis revealed that participants possess a mean 43.9% rate of understanding of those biological evolution concepts presented in the BEL Survey combined with a 39.1% mean misconception rate. A statistically significant difference in participants’ BEL Survey mean index scores when related to biological evolution knowledge self-rating was also disclosed. Strategies for identifying and eliminating students’ misconceptions are offered. Misconceptions of biological evolution were prevalent within this student population and the findings corroborate the literature that reports a strikingly high prevalence of biological evolution-related misconceptions in students at all levels, from elementary pupils to university science majors.