Direction of Spontaneous Processes in Non-Equilibrium Systems with Movable/Permeable Internal Walls.

We consider three different systems in a heat flow: an ideal gas, a van der Waals gas, and a binary mixture of ideal gases. We divide each system internally into two subsystems by a movable wall. We show that the direction of the motion of the wall, after release, under constant boundary conditions, is determined by the same inequality as in equilibrium thermodynamics dU-đQ≤0.

Parameters of State in the Global Thermodynamics of Binary Ideal Gas Mixtures in a Stationary Heat Flow.

In this paper, we formulate the first law of global thermodynamics for stationary states of the binary ideal gas mixture subjected to heat flow. We map the non-uniform system onto the uniform one and show that the internal energy U(S*,V,N1,N2,f1*,f2*) is the function of the following parameters of state: a non-equilibrium entropy S*, volume , number of particles of the first component, N1, number of particles of the second component N2 and the renormalized degrees of freedom. The parameters f1*,f2*, N1,N2 satisfy the relation (N1/(N1+N2))f1*/f1+(N2/(N1+N2))f2*/f2=1 (f1 and f2 are the degrees of freedom for each component respectively).

Fundamental Relation for the Ideal Gas in the Gravitational Field and Heat Flow.

We formulate the first law of global thermodynamics for stationary states of the ideal gas in the gravitational field subjected to heat flow. We map the non-uniform system (described by profiles of the density and temperature) onto the uniform one and show that the total internal energy U(S*,V,N,L,M*) is the function of the following parameters of state: the non-equilibrium entropy S*, volume , number of particles, , height of the column along the gravitational force, and renormalized mass of a particle M*. Each parameter corresponds to a different way of energy exchange with the environment.

Steady-state thermodynamics of a system with heat and mass flow coupling.

Equilibrium thermodynamics describes the energy exchange of a body with its environment. Here, we describe the global energy exchange of an ideal gas in the Coutte flow in a thermodynamic-like manner. We derive a fundamental relation between internal energy as a function of parameters of state.

Fundamental Relation for Gas of Interacting Particles in a Heat Flow.

There is a long-standing question of whether it is possible to extend the formalism of equilibrium thermodynamics to the case of nonequilibrium systems in steady-states. We have made such an extension for an ideal gas in a heat flow. Here, we investigated whether such a description exists for the system with interactions: the van der Waals gas in a heat flow.

Vemurafenib and Dabrafenib Downregulates RIPK4 Level.

Vemurafenib and dabrafenib are BRAF kinase inhibitors (BRAFi) used for the treatment of patients with melanoma carrying the V600E BRAF mutation. However, melanoma cells develop resistance to both drugs when used as monotherapy. Therefore, mechanisms of drug resistance are investigated, and new molecular targets are sought that could completely inhibit melanoma progression.

Thermodynamics of stationary states of the ideal gas in a heat flow.

There is a long-standing question as to whether and to what extent it is possible to describe nonequilibrium systems in stationary states in terms of global thermodynamic functions. The positive answers have been obtained only for isothermal systems or systems with small temperature differences. We formulate thermodynamics of the stationary states of the ideal gas subjected to heat flow in the form of the zeroth, first, and second law.

You will know by its tail: a method for quantification of heterogeneity of bacterial populations using single-cell MIC profiling.

Severe non-healing infections are often caused by multiple pathogens or by genetic variants of the same pathogen exhibiting different levels of antibiotic resistance. For example, polymicrobial diabetic foot infections double the risk of amputation compared to monomicrobial infections. Although these infections lead to increased morbidity and mortality, standard antimicrobial susceptibility methods are designed for homogenous samples and are impaired in quantifying heteroresistance.

Transient dynamics in the outflow of energy from a system in a nonequilibrium stationary state.

We investigate the thermal relaxation of an ideal gas from a nonequilibrium stationary state. The gas is enclosed between two walls, which initially have different temperatures. After making one of the walls adiabatic, the system returns to equilibrium.

Internal energy in compressible Poiseuille flow.

We analyze a compressible Poiseuille flow of ideal gas in a plane channel. We provide the form of internal energy U for a nonequilibrium stationary state that includes viscous dissipation and pressure work. We demonstrate that U depends strongly on the ratio Δp/p_{0}, where Δp is the pressure difference between inlet and outlet and p_{0} is the outlet's pressure.

Economics at the FCC 2020-21: Closing the Connectivity Gap, COVID-19 and Telehealth, Spectrum Auctions, Communications Marketplace Report, and Economic Research.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is responsible for regulation in the communications marketplace and for management of the nation's non-federal radio frequency spectrum.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin in the Lipid Bilayer-Similarities and Differences Revealed by Computational Studies.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are two similar carotenoids of the xanthophyll subgroup. Carotenoids are synthesized almost entirely by plants but are also present in significant amounts in animals. They are essential components of the lipid matrix of biomembranes, and one of their functions is to protect cells from light radiation, free radicals and oxidative stress.

Continuous nonequilibrium transition driven by heat flow.

We discovered an out-of-equilibrium transition in the ideal gas between two walls, divided by an inner, adiabatic, movable wall. The system is driven out-of-equilibrium by supplying energy directly into the volume of the gas. At critical heat flux we have found a continuous transition to the state with a low-density, hot gas on one side of the movable wall and a dense, cold gas on the other side.

High-Throughput Monitoring of Bacterial Cell Density in Nanoliter Droplets: Label-Free Detection of Unmodified Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria.

Droplet microfluidics disrupted analytical biology with the introduction of digital polymerase chain reaction and single-cell sequencing. The same technology may also bring important innovation in the analysis of bacteria, including antibiotic susceptibility testing at the single-cell level. Still, despite promising demonstrations, the lack of a high-throughput label-free method of detecting bacteria in nanoliter droplets prohibits analysis of the most interesting strains and widespread use of droplet technologies in analytical microbiology.

Split or slip - passive generation of monodisperse double emulsions with cores of varying viscosity in microfluidic tandem step emulsification system.

We investigate the role of viscosities on the formation of double emulsion in a microfluidic step emulsification system. Aqueous droplets of various viscosities and sizes were engulfed in fluorocarbon oil and subsequently transformed into double droplets in the microfluidic step emulsifying device. We identify two distinct regimes of double droplet formation: (i) core droplets split into multiple smaller droplets, or (ii) cores slip whole into the forming oil shell.

Droplet-based digital antibiotic susceptibility screen reveals single-cell clonal heteroresistance in an isogenic bacterial population.

Since antibiotic resistance is a major threat to global health, recent observations that the traditional test of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is not informative enough to guide effective antibiotic treatment are alarming. Bacterial heteroresistance, in which seemingly susceptible isogenic bacterial populations contain resistant sub-populations, underlies much of this challenge. To close this gap, here we developed a droplet-based digital MIC screen that constitutes a practical analytical platform for quantifying the single-cell distribution of phenotypic responses to antibiotics, as well as for measuring inoculum effect with high accuracy.

Gravity-driven microfluidic assay for digital enumeration of bacteria and for antibiotic susceptibility testing.

The alarming dynamics of antibiotic-resistant infections calls for the development of rapid and point-of-care (POC) antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) methods. Here, we demonstrated the first completely stand-alone microfluidic system that allowed the execution of digital enumeration of bacteria and digital antibiograms without any specialized microfluidic instrumentation. A four-chamber gravity-driven step emulsification device generated ∼2000 monodisperse 2 nanoliter droplets with a coefficient of variation of 8.

Diffusion and flow in complex liquids.

Thermal motion of particles and molecules in liquids underlies many chemical and biological processes. Liquids, especially in biology, are complex due to structure at multiple relevant length scales. While diffusion in homogeneous simple liquids is well understood through the Stokes-Einstein relation, this equation fails completely in describing diffusion in complex media.

Tomorrow's Stewards: The Case for a Unified International Framework on the Environmental Rights of Children.

This paper evaluates an approach for strengthening environmental rights for children to safeguard child health. We focus on children as beneficiaries of environmental rights on account of their vulnerability to environmental impacts on their physical and mental health. Current legal frameworks, unless explicitly identifying children as beneficiaries, arguably tend to be adult-centric.

Asymmetric Spontaneous Intercalation of Lutein into a Phospholipid Bilayer, a Computational Study.

Lutein, a hydroxylated carotenoid, is a pigment synthesised by plants and bacteria. Animals are unable to synthesise lutein, nevertheless, it is present in animal tissues, where its only source is dietary intake. Both in plants and animals, carotenoids are associated mainly with membranes where they carry out important physiological functions.

Grooved step emulsification systems optimize the throughput of passive generation of monodisperse emulsions.

Microfluidic step emulsification passively produces highly monodisperse droplets and can be easily parallelized for high throughput emulsion production. The two main techniques used for step emulsification are: i) edge-based droplet generation (EDGE), where droplets are formed in a single, very wide and shallow nozzle, and ii) microchannel emulsification (MCE), where droplets are formed in many separated narrow nozzles. These techniques differ in modes of droplet formation that influence the throughput and monodispersity of produced emulsions.

Human Rights and Fracking in England: The Role of the Oregon Permanent People's Tribunal.

The potential impacts of fracking on the environment and health, as well as impacts on local communities and their "quality of life," are well documented. This paper outlines the potential human rights impacts of fracking and argues for a human rights-based, participatory, and justice-based approach to regulation. In particular, it discusses the findings of the recent Permanent Peoples' Tribunal session on human rights, fracking, and climate change, held in Oregon, United States, and the potential impact of the tribunal's decision on other jurisdictions where fracking takes place, particularly England.

Usefulness of laser ablation ICP-MS for analysis of metallic particles released to oral mucosa after insertion of dental implants.

Despite the fact that titanium is considered highly biocompatible, its presence in the oral cavity (an environment of frequently changing pH and temperature) may result in the release of titanium from intraosseous implants into the oral mucosa, causing a range of reactions from the human body. Fragments of oral mucosa collected from patients after dental implant insertion were analyzed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The study revealed an elevated content of elements (Ti, Al, V) which are components of the metal implants and temporary cover screws.

Agglutinating mouse IgG3 compares favourably with IgMs in typing of the blood group B antigen: Functionality and stability studies.

Mouse immunoglobulins M (IgMs) that recognize human blood group antigens induce haemagglutination and are used worldwide for diagnostic blood typing. Contrary to the current belief that IgGs are too small to simultaneously bind antigens on two different erythrocytes, we obtained agglutinating mouse IgG3 that recognized antigen B of the human ABO blood group system. Mouse IgG3 is an intriguing isotype that has the ability to form Fc-dependent oligomers.

Generalization of Clausius-Mossotti approximation in application to short-time transport properties of suspensions.

In 1983, Felderhof, Ford, and Cohen gave microscopic explanation of the famous Clausius-Mossotti formula for the dielectric constant of nonpolar dielectric. They based their considerations on the cluster expansion of the dielectric constant, which relates this macroscopic property with the microscopic characteristics of the system. In this article, we analyze the cluster expansion of Felderhof, Ford, and Cohen by performing its resummation (renormalization).