cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of post-resuscitation inflammatory response with favorable neurologic outcomes in adults with in-hospital cardiac arrest.

Abstract Background Early prediction of mortality in adults after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) remains vital to optimizing treatment strategies. Inflammatory cytokines specific to early prognostication in this population have not been well studied. We evaluated whether novel inflammatory cytokines obtained from adults with IHCA helped predict favorable neurologic outcome. Methods The study population included adults with IHCA who underwent ACLS-guided resuscitation between March 2014 and May 2019 at an academic tertiary medical center. Peripheral blood samples were obtained within 6, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of IHCA and analysis of 15 cytokines were performed. The primary outcome of interest was presence of favorable neurologic outcome at hospital discharge, defined as a Glasgow Outcome Score of 4 or 5. Results Of the 105 adults with IHCA studied, 27 (25.7%) were noted to have survival with a favorable neurologic outcome while 78 (74.3%) did not. Patients who survived with favorable neurologic outcome were more often men (88.9% vs 61.5%, p = 0.008) and had higher rates of ventricular tachyarrhythmias as their initial rhythm (34.6% vs 11.7%, p = 0.018). Levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-R1 within 6 or 24 h were significantly lower in patients with favorable neurologic outcome compared with those who had unfavorable neurologic outcome. In multivariable analysis, IL-10 levels within 6 h was the only independent predictor of favorable neurologic outcomes [odds ratio (OR) 0.895, 95% confidence interval 0.805−0.996, p = 0.041]. Conclusion In this contemporary observational study of adults with IHCA receiving ACLS-guided resuscitative and post-resuscitative care, inflammatory cytokines specific to early prognostication in adults with IHCA exist. Further larger scale studies examining the association of these inflammatory cytokines with prognosis are warranted.
Reimagining International Law for Global Migration: Migration as Decolonization?

The European colonial project involved the out-migration of at least sixty-two million Europeans to colonies across the world between the Nineteenth and first half of the Twentieth Century alone. It also involved movement in the reverse direction of human and natural resources, overwhelmingly for the benefit of Europe and Europeans. By connecting certain forms of migration in the present century to this mobility of people and goods in prior centuries, I seek to shift some of the fundamental commitments at the core of the international law, norms and discourse around global migration.
High-resolution corneal and lens imaging with retroillumination microscopy

In this presentation we will describe a new method for non-contact in vivo corneal and lenticular microscopy. The technique is based on fundus retroillumination, i.e. anterior segment back-illumination via reflection from the posterior fundus. As such, the retroillumination microscope provides a unique transmission imaging configuration sensitive to forward-scattered light. To enhance intrinsic phase-gradient contrast, we apply asymmetric illumination. The technique produces micron-scale lateral resolution images across a large 1 mm diagonal field of view in the central cornea. We will show representative images of the epithelium, the subbasal nerve plexus, large stromal nerves, dendritic immune cells, endothelial nuclei, and the anterior crystalline lens fibers and nuclei. Finally, we will discuss potential clinical applications and extension to three-dimensional imaging.
The jigsaw puzzle of sequence phenotype inference: Piecing together Shannon entropy, importance sampling, and Empirical Bayes

A nucleotide sequence 35 base pairs long can take 1,180,591,620,717,411,303,424 possible values. An example of systems biology datasets, protein binding microarrays, contain activity data from about 40,000 such sequences. The discrepancy between the number of possible configurations and the available activities is enormous. Thus, albeit that systems biology datasets are large in absolute terms, they oftentimes require methods developed for rare events due to the combinatorial increase in the number of possible configurations of biological systems. A plethora of techniques for handling large datasets, such as Empirical Bayes, or rare events, such as importance sampling, have been developed in the literature, but these cannot always be simultaneously utilized. Here we introduce a principled approach to Empirical Bayes based on importance sampling, information theory, and theoretical physics in the general context of sequence phenotype model induction. We present the analytical calculations that underlie our approach. We demonstrate the computational efficiency of the approach on concrete examples, and demonstrate its efficacy by applying the theory to publicly available protein binding microarray transcription factor datasets and to data on synthetic cAMP-regulated enhancer sequences. As further demonstrations, we find transcription factor binding motifs, predict the activity of new sequences and extract the locations of transcription factor binding sites. In summary, we present a novel method that is efficient (requiring minimal computational time and reasonable amounts of memory), has high predictive power that is comparable with that of models with hundreds of parameters, and has a limited number of optimized parameters, proportional to the sequence length.
Human Papillomavirus: A Catalyst to a Killer

Abstract Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent and widespread sexually transmitted disease and is responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer worldwide. However, HPV has received little public health attention, is not a reportable STD, and often is absent from the repertoire of STDs. In addition, there is pervasive misinformation about HPV among health care providers, professionals, patients and the public. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review of HPV by 1) addressing important epidemiological issues such as HPV prevalence, contraction, symptoms, transmission, detection, prevention, screening and treatment, 2) addressing specific gaps in the literature and 3) addressing future steps that can be taken among public health agencies, health care professionals, health educators and the general public to ensure HPV prevention, detection and treatment.
REDUCTIONIST RHETORIC: EXPOSITORY STRATEGIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY OF BEHAVIOR

The formation of such new scientific disciplines as the molecular neurobiology of behavior involves major shifts in the boundaries and interconnections of older fields of inquiry. Requisite new alliances and new channels of communication are not constructed from mere technical elaborations of logic and empirical evidence, but rely on verbal and graphic rhetoric for more or less effective display of the lure, charm, and power of the search for new explanatory models in the emerging field of inquiry. In example under study here, graphic rhetoric combines two pictures: (1) the simplest and most comprehensive explanatory model of associative learning and (2) a medically or pharmaceutically enticing image of manipulable elemental constituents of cellular mechanisms for learning and memory.
Utilizing analytic hierarchy process for improved decision making within supply chains

With a growing global economy and competition and increased outsourcing, the supplier selection process has gained more focus and importance within many business enterprises for developing an integrated supply network. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) has been identified as an ideal multi-objective decision support tool to assist firms in completing the supplier selection process as part of strengthening their procurement strategies. This paper involved secondary research methods to gain an understanding of AHP, its various applications, and exploration of how to incorporate non-traditional selection criteria such as environmental criterion into the process. AHP's application for optimal supplier selection to support integrated procurement process is illustrated through an example of a Medical Device Manufacturer (MDM), known for established supplier-customer partnerships and alliances. Major limitation in studying this example included data availability to complete a comprehensive AHP decision management model. However, it was found that AHP is a powerful, structured but flexible method of addressing the multi-criteria supplier selection decision that facilitates building an integrated supply chain.
Visualizing molecular biology through animation and installation art (29.6)

To promote molecular biology education to elementary school children and the general public, we have initiated a number of projects that bring the arts into traditional STEM outreach programs. Here...
X-ray emission from supernova remnants in a cloudy medium

Young SNRs expand to much larger radii in a cloudy ISM than in a homogeneous medium, and they can have large variations in the pressure. The collision between supernova ejecta and an ambient cloud can result in an expanding high pressure region (a “secondary blast wave”). Observations of MSH 15–52 can be accounted for in this manner. X-ray emission from both young and older SNRs can provide an important probe for inferring the structure of the ISM.
MLH1-silenced and non-silenced subgroups of hypermutated colorectal carcinomas have distinct mutational landscapes.

Approximately 15% of colorectal carcinomas (CRC) exhibit a hypermutated genotype accompanied by high levels of microsatellite instability (MSI-H) and defects in DNA mismatch repair. These tumors, unlike the majority of colorectal carcinomas, are often diploid, exhibit frequent epigenetic silencing of the MLH1 DNA mismatch repair gene, and have a better clinical prognosis. As an adjunct study to The Cancer Genome Atlas consortium that recently analyzed 224 colorectal cancers by whole exome sequencing, we compared the 35 CRC (15.6%) with a hypermutated genotype to those with a non-hypermutated genotype. We found that 22 (63%) of hypermutated CRC exhibited transcriptional silencing of the MLH1 gene, a high frequency of BRAF V600E gene mutations and infrequent APC and KRAS mutations, a mutational pattern significantly different from their non-hypermutated counterparts. However, the remaining 13 (37%) hypermutated CRC lacked MLH1 silencing, contained tumors with the highest mutation rates (“ultramutated” CRC), and exhibited higher incidences of APC and KRAS mutations, but infrequent BRAF mutations. These patterns were confirmed in an independent validation set of 250 exome-sequenced CRC. Analysis of mRNA and microRNA expression signatures revealed that hypermutated CRC with MLH1 silencing had greatly reduced levels of WNT signaling and increased BRAF signaling relative non-hypermutated CRC. Our findings suggest that hypermutated CRC include one subgroup with fundamentally different pathways to malignancy than the majority of CRC. Examination of MLH1 expression status and frequencies of APC, KRAS, and BRAF mutation in CRC may provide a useful diagnostic tool that could supplement the standard microsatellite instability assays and influence therapeutic decisions.
GETnet: a general framework for evolutionary temporal neural networks

Among the more challenging problems in the design of temporal neural networks are the incorporation of short and long-term memories and the choice of network topology. Delayed copies of network signals can form short-term memory (STM), whereas feedback loops can constitute long-term memories (LTM). This paper introduces a new general evolutionary temporal neural network framework (GETnet) for the automated design of neural networks with distributed STM and LTM. GETnet is a step towards the realization of general intelligent systems that can be applied to a broad range of problems. GETnet utilizes nonlinear moving average and autoregressive nodes and sub-circuits that are trained by enhanced gradient descent and evolutionary search in architecture, synaptic delay, and synaptic weight spaces. The ability to evolve arbitrary time-delay connections enables GETnet to find novel answers to classification and system identification tasks. A new temporal minimum description length policy ensures creation of fast and compact networks with improved generalization capabilities. Simulations using Mackey-Glass time series are presented to demonstrate the above stated capabilities of GETnet.
On the Specificity of Human Gastricsin and Pepsin

Abstract Digests of oxidized ribonuclease A and glucagon with human gastricsin and pepsin have been compared with IR-120 B column chromatography and two-dimensional high voltage paper electrophoresis to separate the resulting peptides. The amino-terminal residues and the amino acid compositions of purified peptides were determined in order to establish the sequence of peptides and hence the sites of cleavage by the two enzymes. Evidence is presented indicating that the specificities of both enzymes are broad and similar. However, from the studies with protein as well as synthetic dipeptide substrates, definite differences have been shown. Kinetic parameters, Vmax and Km, for the hydrolysis of several benzyloxycarbonyl-l-tyrosyl peptides and benzyloxycarbonyl-l-tryptophanyl peptides with gastricsin were compared. The effect on the hydrolysis rate of side chains in the amino acid residues of the substrates was elucidated.
Organization of ribosomal protein genes in Escherichia coli. II. Mapping of ribosomal protein genes by in vitro synthesis of ribosomal proteins using DNA fragments of a transducing phage as templates.

Abstract The structural genes for six ribosomal proteins (r-proteins) located in the str-spc region around 64 minutes on the Escherichia coli chromosome have been mapped physically with respect to each other and the neighboring genes aroE and trkA. The genes code for the 30 S r-proteins S4 (ram), S5 (spc), S8, S11, S13 and S14. Furthermore, regions coding for unidentified 50 S r-proteins have been indicated. The mapping was performed by biochemical methods employing DNA from the specialized transducing phage λspc1, which carries the aroE-trkA-spc region of the E. coli chromosome. The phage DNA was cleaved by restriction endonucleases, and the generated DNA fragments used as templates for synthesis of r-proteins in a DNA-dependent cell-free system. Since the relative order of the DNA fragments created by the restriction endonucleases is known, a genetic map could be constructed.
Thoracic Esophageal Diverticula: A 15-Year Experience of Minimally Invasive Surgical Management.

Background Thoracic esophageal diverticula are uncommon, and controversies exist regarding their management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of a relatively large cohort of patients with thoracic esophageal diverticula treated with minimally invasive surgical techniques. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent minimally invasive surgical treatment for symptomatic esophageal diverticula during a 15-year period. The primary end point was 30-day mortality. In addition, we evaluated the morbidity, improvement in dysphagia (score: 1, best to 5, worst), and quality of life (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease–Health-Related Quality of Life score: 0, best to 50, most symptoms). Results Fifty-seven patients underwent minimally invasive surgical treatment of symptomatic thoracic esophageal diverticula. The most common symptom was dysphagia (45 of 57; 79%). A motility disorder or distal mechanical obstruction was identified in 49 patients (86%). Approaches used included video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (n = 33), laparoscopy (n = 18), and combined video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and laparoscopy (n = 6). The most common procedure performed was diverticulectomy and myotomy (47 of 57 patients; 82.5%). The 30-day mortality was 0%. There were 4 patients (7%) with postoperative leaks requiring reoperation. During follow-up, the median dysphagia score improved from 3 to 1 ( p Conclusions A minimally invasive surgical approach for the management of thoracic esophageal diverticula is safe and effective during intermediate-term follow-up when performed by surgeons experienced in esophageal surgery and minimally invasive techniques. Further follow-up is required to assess the durability of these results. The optimal approach and procedures performed should be determined on an individualized basis after a thorough investigation.
Effective TARO pattern generation

TARO test patterns are transition fault test patterns that sensitize each transition fault to all of the outputs that can be reached from the fault location. We were not able to identify any ATPG tool that can generate TARO test patterns directly. This paper describes a technique to use an existing transition fault ATPG tool to efficiently generate TARO test patterns. This technique was used to generate TARO patterns for the ELF35 test chip. When these patterns were applied to the ELF35 chips, all of the defective chips were discovered (no test escapes).
Agricultural Biotechnology, Poverty Reduction and Food Security in Ghana

In recent weeks one aspect of science that has echoed through the media is biotechnology. To the non-scientist it all looks very confusing. The misconception of biotechnology is a problem the whole world over. Although biotechnology as a discipline has been in existence for many years, in Africa, perhaps with the exception of South Africa and Kenya, we are now fully awakening to the brave new world of biotechnology. To date, South Africa continues to be the only African country that has approved transgenic crops for commercial purposes and is the leader in agricultural biotechnology research and development on the continent.
Ethnic Differences in Separate and Additive Effects of Anxiety and Depression on Self-rated Mental Health Among Blacks

The aim of this study was to explore ethnic differences in the separate and additive effects of anxiety and depression on self-rated mental health (SRMH) of Blacks in the USA. With a cross-sectional design, we used data from a national household probability sample of African Americans (n = 3570) and Caribbean Blacks (n = 1621) who participated in the National Survey of American Life, 2001–2003. Demographic factors, socio-economic factors, 12-month general anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), and current SRMH were measured. In each ethnic group, three logistic regressions were used to assess the effects of GAD, MDD, and their combinations on SRMH. Among African Americans, GAD and MDD had separate effects on SRMH. Among Caribbean Blacks, only MDD but not GAD had separate effect on SRMH. Among African Americans, when the combined effects of GAD and MDD were tested, GAD but not MDD was associated with SRMH. The separate and additive effects of GAD and MDD on SRMH among Blacks depend on ethnicity. Although single-item SRMH measures are easy methods for the screening of mental health need, community-based programs that aim to meet the need for mental health services among Blacks in the USA should consider within-race ethnic differences in the applicability of such instruments.
Extensive movement of LINES ONE sequences in beta-globin loci of Mus caroli and Mus domesticus.

Abstract LINES ONE (L1) is a family of movable DNA sequences found in mammals. To measure the rate of their movement, we have compared the positions of L1 elements within homologous genetic loci that are separated by known divergence times. Two models that predict different outcomes of this analysis have been proposed for the behavior of L1 sequences. (i) Previous theoretical studies of concerted evolution in L1 have indicated that the majority of the 100,000 extant L1 elements may have inserted as recently as within the last 3 million years. (ii) Gene conversion has been proposed as an alternative to a history of prolific recent insertions. To distinguish between these two models, we cloned and characterized two embryonic beta-globin haplotypes from Mus caroli and compared them with those of M. domesticus. In 9 of 10 instances, we observed an L1 element to be present in one chromosome and absent at the same site in a homologous chromosome. This frequency is quantitatively consistent with the known rate of concerted evolution. Therefore, we conclude that gene conversion is not required for concerted evolution of the L1 family in the mouse. Furthermore, we show that the extensive movement of L1 sequences contributes to restriction fragment length polymorphism. L1 insertions may be the predominant cause of restriction fragment length polymorphisms in closely related haplotypes.
Physical properties of the As 2 (Se,Te) 3 glasses (Review article)

Recent interest in the properties of amorphous chalcogenides has resulted in a great expansion in the literature on this subject. The present work reviews the physical properties of one of the most carefully studied alloy systems: the As2 Se3 − As2 Te3 glasses. The review emphasises experimental results and suggests areas of research which need to be more closely examined.
Framing and Reframing Questions of Human–Environment Interactions

Ways in which geographers have framed research on human–environment interactions have changed over time. This review emphasizes the limitations of previous ways of framing human–environment research and indicates new opportunities to be pursued by reframing the research questions. It begins with the research and influence of W. M. Davis and follows with research framed as environmental determinism, human ecology, natural hazards, human impacts on the environment, and sustainability. Studies of interactions between people and environments are central to geography, but such studies have dominantly been one-sided as a result of the type of relationship studied or the perspectives (physical or social) brought by the investigators. Awareness of the nature of nature and the dynamic, interactive behavior of biophysical and human systems has the potential to bring new perspectives to the traditional human–environment dichotomy. Because many of the world's important problems involve interactions between people and...
Atomichron&#174;: The atomic clock from concept to commercial product

The first half of this paper (Sections I-III) gives an overview of the development of atomic clocks from the earliest suggestions that atoms could provide superlative frequency and time standards to the realization of a cesium-beam device (1955) capable of assuming this role in a national standards laboratory. The second half (Sections IV and V) describes in considerably greater detail J. R. Zacharias' program of atomic beam clock development from its inception early in 1953 in MIT's Research Laboratory of Electronics to its striking practical success late in 1956 in the National Company's first commercial model.
Simple Queueing Model Applied to the City of Portland

We use a simple traffic micro-simulation model based on queueing dynamics as introduced by Gawron [IJMPC, 9(3):393, 1998] in order to simulate traffic in Portland/Oregon. Links have a flow capacity, that is, they do not release more vehicles per second than is possible according to their capacity. This leads to queue built-up if demand exceeds capacity. Links also have a storage capacity, which means that once a link is full, vehicles that want to enter the link need to wait. This leads to queue spill-back through the network. The model is compatible with route-plan-based approaches such as TRANSIMS, where each vehicle attempts to follow its pre-computed path. Yet, both the data requirements and the computational requirements are considerably lower than for the full TRANSIMS microsimulation. Indeed, the model uses standard emme/2 network data, and runs about eight times faster than real time with more than 100 000 vehicles simultaneously in the simulation on a single Pentium-type CPU. We derive the model's fundamental diagrams and explain it. The simulation is used to simulate traffic on the emme/2 network of the Portland (Oregon) metropolitan region (20 000 links). Demand is generated by a simplified home-to-work destination assignment which generates about half a million trips for the morning peak. Route assignment is done by iterative feedback between micro-simulation and router. An iterative solution of the route assignment for the above problem can be achieved within about half a day of computing time on a desktop workstation. We compare results with field data and with results of traditional assignment runs by the Portland Metropolitan Planning Organization. Thus, with a model such as this one, it is possible to use a dynamic, activities-based approach to transportation simulation (such as in TRANSIMS) with affordable data and hardware. This should enable systematic research about the coupling of demand generation, route assignment, and micro-simulation output.
Integrating head and full-body tracking for embodiment in virtual characters

In virtual embodiment scenarios the participant in an immersive virtual environment is presented with a first-person view of a virtual body, giving them the illusion that the body is, to some extent, their own. This body-ownership illusion can be strengthened by animating the virtual body based on the user's motion. The sometimes poor head-tracking quality of a full-body tracker can induce simulator sickness, especially when wearing a head-mounted display, so a separate higher-quality head-tracking system is used. We discuss the issues present when integrating the data from two such tracking systems, outline principles for generating appropriate firstperson views that maintain the user's body-ownership illusion, and describe two related methods based on these principles.
Fast evaluation of the Gaunt coefficients

Addition theorems for vector spherical harmonics require the determination of the Gaunt coefficients that appear in a linearization expansion of the product of two associated Legendre functions. This paper presents an algorithm for the efficient calculation of these coefficients through solving the most appropriate (lower triangular) linear system and derives all relevant recurrence relations needed in the calculation. This algorithm is also applicable to the calculation of the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients that are closely related to the Gaunt coefficients and are frequently encountered in the quantum theory of angular momentum. The new method described in this paper reduces the computing time to ∼ 1%, compared to the existing formulation that is widely used. This new method can be applied to the calculation of both low- and high-degree coefficients, while the existing formulation works well only for low degrees.
Light Scattering of Periodic β -Aligned Carbon Nanotubes

We report interesting results of light scattering in periodic $\ensuremath{\beta}$-aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Observations of spatial symmetric scattering as a consequence of strong interference agree well with analysis of periodic hexagonal lattices of the CNTs. We found that the scattering is maximally enhanced at a particular angle where the backward incident and scattered directions are exactly superposed for both $s$ and $p$ polarization. The experimental results are explained using a mechanism of electromagnetically induced excitation of surface plasmon polaritons which result in enhanced backscattering effect in CNTs.
Relationship of cerebral perfusion pressure and survival in pediatric brain-injured patients.

Background: Adult brain injury studies recommend maintaining cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) above 70 mm Hg. We evaluated CPP and outcome in brain-injured children. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the hospital courses of children at two Level I trauma centers who required insertion of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitors for management of traumatic brain injury. ICP, CPP, and mean arterial pressure were evaluated hourly, and means were calculated for the first 48 hours after injury. Results: Of 188 brain-injured children, 118 had ICP monitors placed within 24 hours of injury. They suffered severe brain injury, with average admitting Glasgow Coma Scale scores of 6 ± 3. Overall mortality rate was 28%. No patient with mean CPP less than 40 mm Hg survived. Among patients with mean CPP in deciles of 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, or 70 mm Hg, no significant difference in Glasgow Outcome Scale distribution existed. Conclusion: Low mean CPP was lethal. In children with survivable brain injury (mean CPP > 40 mm Hg), CPP did not stratify patients for risk of adverse outcome.
Enabling Realistic Fine-Grain Voltage Scaling with Reconfigurable Power Distribution Networks

Recent work has shown that monolithic integration of voltage regulators will be feasible in the near future, enabling reduced system cost and the potential for fine-grain voltage scaling (FGVS). More specifically, on-chip switched-capacitor regulators appear to offer an attractive trade-off in terms of integration complexity, power density, power efficiency, and response time. In this paper, we use architecture-level modeling to explore a new dynamic voltage/frequency scaling controller called the fine-grain synchronization controller (FG-SYNC+). FG-SYNC+ enables improved performance and energy efficiency at similar average power for multithreaded applications with activity imbalance. We then use circuit-level modeling to explore various approaches to organizing on-chip voltage regulation, including a new approach called reconfigurable power distribution networks (RPDNs). RPDNs allow one regulator to "borrow" energy storage from regulators associated with underutilized cores resulting in improved area/power efficiency and faster response times. We evaluate FG-SYNC+ and RPDN using a vertically integrated research methodology, and our results demonstrate a 10 -- 50% performance and 10 -- 70% energy-efficiency improvement on the majority of the applications studied compared to no FGVS, yet RPDN uses 40% less area compared to a more traditional per-core regulation scheme.
Combining ability for within-boll yield components in cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.

Lint yield and fiber quality in upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., are interrelated through a series of individual components that include bolls/unit land area, mean fiber length and weight/unit length, and a series of within-boll components. Numerous studies have investigated the relationships among various components of lint yield and yield per unit land area, but none have reported on the relationships among the most basic within-boll yield components and fiber quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the combining ability for within-boll lint yield components among a group of cotton genotypes that varied by date of release, type of release, originating program, and their fiber quality parameters, especially fiber bundle strength. Four cultivars, one each released in 1905, 1943, 1979, and 1981, and two modern germplasm lines were crossed in a half diallel. Parents and F 1 s were grown at College Station, TX, in 1989 and 1992. Twenty-five and 100 normal bolls were hand harvested from each plot of a randomized complete block design in 1989 and 1992, respectively. Fiber quality parameters were determined by high volume instrumentation. Within-boll yield components were determined by direct measurement or through calculations. Genotypes having good general combining ability (GCA) estimates for fiber quality exhibited negative GCA estimates for the most basic within-boll yield components. Among these genotypes, three-way crosses, modified backcross, or recurrent selection procedures would be required to select for improved fiber quality and simultaneously increase the number of harvestable fibers per unit of seed surface area.
Modeling and analysis of competitive RT-PCR

The present studies demonstrate a theoretical and practical framework for the accurate quantitation of gene expression in RNA extracted from microscopic tissue samples. The approaches are developed around competitive RT-PCR techniques. Assay performance has been examined and validated at both the RT and PCR steps. Our analysis of RT transcription efficiency for a number of native and competitor combinations shows that this property can differ, even for very similar templates. However, this difference is consistent and, once identified and measured, can be removed as an obstacle to accuracy. Using mathematical modeling, we have examined the simulated co-amplification of native and competitor templates in PCR. Useful insights have emerged from such modeling which indicate that differences in initial amplification efficiency and the rate of decay of amplification efficiency during the reaction can rapidly lead to inaccuracy, even while the slope and linearity of log plots of the competitor input and reaction product ratios are close to ideal. Finally, we show here that competitive RT-PCR reactions do not have to remain in the log-linear phase of PCR in order to accomplish accurate and precise quantification. Using appropriate competitors sharing primer binding sites and high internal sequence similarity, identical amplification efficiencies are preserved throughout the reaction. Reaction products, including heteroduplexes formed between native and competitor templates as reactions progress to plateau, can be identified and quantified accurately using the new technique of denaturing HPLC (dHPLC). This analytical technique allows the accuracy of competitive RT-PCR to be preserved beyond the linear phase. The technique has high sensitivity and precision and target abundances as low as 100 copies could be reliably estimated.
Social cognition and social anxiety among icelandic schoolchildren

The primary purpose of this study is to examine relationships among social cognition, social anxiety, and social skills with friends and strangers in children. Ninety-two children (age 10-14 years) in Iceland completed questionnaires on social anxiety, social skills, assertiveness, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy in social situations with friends and strangers. Children reported higher self-efficacy, more positive outcome expectancies, and higher assertion when interacting with friends than strangers. Results also indicate that self-efficacy with friends and self-efficacy with strangers significantly predicted social anxiety. Self-efficacy with friends (but not strangers) also predicted social skills as reported by the children and their parents. On the other hand, self-efficacy with strangers predicted assertiveness with strangers. Outcome expectancy with friends also contributed to the prediction of self reported and parent-reported social skills. Findings are discussed with regard to the importance of social cognition for the development of social anxiety and social skills.
A practical analysis of non-termination in large logic programs

A large body of work has been dedicated to termination analysis of logic programs but until recently little has been done to analyze non-termination. In our opinion, explaining nontermination is a much more important task because it can dramatically improve a user’s ability to eectively debug large, complex logic programs without having to abide by punishing syntactic restrictions. Non-termination analysis examines program execution history when the program is suspected to not terminate and informs the programmer about the exact reasons for this behavior. In (Liang and Kifer 2013), we studied the problem of non-termination in tabled logic engines with subgoal abstraction, such as XSB, and proposed a suite of algorithms for nonTermination Analyzer, called Terminyzer. These algorithms analyze forest logging traces and output sequences of tabled subgoal calls that are the likely causes of non-terminating cycles. However, this feedback was hard to use in practice: the same subgoal could occur in multiple rule heads and in even more places in rule bodies, so Terminyzer left too much tedious work for the user to do manually. In this paper we propose a new suite of algorithms, Terminyzer+, which closes the usability gap or, at least, narrows it down drastically. Terminyzer+ can detect not only sequences of subgoals that cause non-termination, but, importantly, the exact rules where they occur and the rule sequences that get
The role of nuclear factor κB in late-gestation liver development in the rat

During the last 3 days of fetal development in the rodent, a burst of hepatocyte proliferation results in a tripling of liver size. Despite stimulation of mitogenesis via multiple signaling pathways, including some that are considered stress response pathways, little apoptosis accompanies this cell growth. Given the accepted role of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in preventing hepatocellular apoptosis during proliferation in mid-development, we predicted that NF-κB would be functional during the period of rapid growth during late gestation in the rat. NF-κB binding in electrophoretic mobility shift assays was low in embryonic day (E) 19 liver nuclear extracts relative to adult liver nuclear extracts. An additional band that was present in E19 liver was purified and identified as nucleolin. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) administration to E19 embryos in utero produced minimal induction of NF-κB p50 homodimers and p50/p65 heterodimers, yet baseline apoptosis was not affected. Although p65 was present in E19 hepatocyte cytoplasm in amounts comparable to adult liver, we observed little translocation of p65 to the liver nuclei following TNF-α administration. Additionally, expression of several NF-κB–responsive genes remained minimally induced in E19 liver following TNF-α treatment. In conclusion, although the NF-κB components are present in late-gestation fetal liver, NF-κB as a transcription factor is relatively inactive and unresponsive to TNF-α. Given this finding and the high level of proliferation in late-gestation fetal liver, we predict that alternative antiapoptotic mechanisms are active during this period of rapid hepatic growth. (HEPATOLOGY 2005;42:326–334.)
Increasing Scientific Data Insights about Exascale Class Simulations under Power and Storage Constraints

Creating the next-generation high-performance simulation and analysis environment will be a significant challenge because of power and storage technology trends. Responding to these challenges will require rethinking and reframing how we approach visualization and analysis. A key difference is the need to keep track of a cost per insight in terms of power and storage used. To reduce power and storage costs, an emerging community consensus is that significantly more visualization and analysis should occur in situ--that is, during the simulation run while the data is resident in memory. Using this approach, we need to consider what scientific insights are sought, balanced by power and storage constraints, and then output only the minimal analysis data needed during the simulation run. Emerging research challenges include exploring what types of analysis questions can be answered during postprocessing with compact data products that are generated in situ and what mathematical or statistical techniques will best support this process.
Calculation of the equilibrium composition of blended gases for heat treating furnace atmospheres

A computer program for calculating the equilibrium composition of blends of propane (or methane), air and nitrogen at various temperatures is described. From the gas phase composition the carbon potential of the atmosphere can be found. For blends rich in hydrocarbon, such as would be used for carburizing, the available carbon (expressed as excess methane) is also computed. The implications of the results for process control are discussed.
Heterogeneous Diffusion of a Membrane-Bound pHLIP Peptide

Lateral diffusion of cell membrane constituents is a prerequisite for many biological functions. However, the diffusivity (or mobility) of a membrane-bound species can be influenced by many factors. To provide a better understanding of how the conformation and location of a membrane-bound biological molecule affect its mobility, herein we study the diffusion properties of a pH low insertion peptide (pHLIP) in model membranes using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. It is found that when the pHLIP peptide is located on the membrane surface, its lateral diffusion is characterized by a distribution of diffusion times, the characteristic of which depends on the peptide/lipid ratio. Whereas, under conditions where pHLIP adopts a well-defined transmembrane α-helical conformation the peptide still exhibits heterogeneous diffusion, the distribution of diffusion times is found to be independent of the peptide/lipid ratio. Taken together, these results indicate that the mobility of a membrane-bound species is sensitive to its conformation and location and that diffusion measurement could provide useful information regarding the conformational distribution of membrane-bound peptides. Furthermore, the observation that the mobility of a membrane-bound species depends on its concentration may have important implications for diffusion-controlled reactions taking place in membranes.
Early allograft dysfunction in liver transplantation with donation after cardiac death donors results in inferior survival.

Donation after cardiac death (DCD) liver allografts have been associated with increased morbidity from primary nonfunction, biliary complications, early allograft failure, cost, and mortality. Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) after liver transplantation has been found to be associated with inferior patient and graft survival. In a cohort of 205 consecutive liver-only transplant patients with allografts from DCD donors at a single center, the incidence of EAD was found to be 39.5%. The patient survival rates for those with no EAD and those with EAD at 1, 3, and 5 years were 97% and 89%, 79% and 79%, and 61% and 54%, respectively (P = 0.009). Allograft survival rates for recipients with no EAD and those with EAD at 1, 3, and 5 years were 90% and 75%, 72% and 64%, and 53% and 43%, respectively (P = 0.003). A multivariate analysis demonstrated a significant association between the development of EAD and the cold ischemia time [odds ratio (OR) = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.56, P = 0.037] and hepatocellular cancer as a secondary diagnosis in recipients (OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.11-4.58, P = 0.025). There was no correlation between EAD and the development of ischemic cholangiopathy. In conclusion, EAD results in inferior patient and graft survival in recipients of DCD liver allografts. Understanding the events that cause EAD and developing preventive or early therapeutic approaches should be the focus of future investigations. Liver Transpl 20:1447-1453, 2014. © 2014 AASLD.
Chromatic Dispersion Compensation In A Fresnel Lens By Means Of A Diffraction Grating

A Fresnel lens's imaging performance can be seriously impaired by chromatic dispersion which typically doubles the diameter of the focused sun image in a solar concentrator. This problem can be alleviated by means of a molded diffraction grating whose diffraction-induced dispersion offsets and substantially cancels the lens's intrinsic refractive index dispersion. The grating lines would comprise a second tier of small-scale, Fresnel-type facets superimposed on the lens facets, with a typical grating facet height of about 40 microinches and a facet width ranging from about 1 milliinch at the edge of the lens to around 5 or 10 milliinches near the center. In its primary intended application the grating would function in a core daylighting system to improve the optical performance of a collector which focuses direct sunlight into fiber optic couplers. For this application chromatic dispersion would be reduced by an order of magnitude with only a 2% loss in optical efficiency.
Multiple headspace extraction—A procedure for eliminating the influence of the sample matrix in quantitative headspace, gas chromatography

A stepwise gas extraction procedure is described for the quantitative gas chromatographic analysis of volatile compounds in solid and liquid samples. This procedure is a modification of the usual headspace analysis and can be carried out with the same equipment, provided a pressure and time controlled sampling system is used. This procedure is called ‘Multiple Headspace Extraction (MHE)’ therefore. This method has first been developed for the analysis of monomers in polymers and residual solvents in printed films, but it is shown that can be applied to various other sample types also including even liquid samples.
GOES-R Algorithm Working Group (AWG)

For the next-generation of GOES-R instruments to meet stated performance requirements, state-of-the-art algorithms will be needed to convert raw instrument data to calibrated radiances and derived geophysical parameters (atmosphere, land, ocean, and space weather). The GOES-R Program Office (GPO) assigned the NOAA/NESDIS Center for Satellite Research and Applications (STAR) the responsibility for technical leadership and management of GOES-R algorithm development and calibration/validation. STAR responded with the creation of the GOES-R Algorithm Working Group (AWG) to manage and coordinate development and calibration/validation activities for GOES-R proxy data and geophysical product algorithms. The AWG consists of 15 application teams that bring expertise in product algorithms that span atmospheric, land, oceanic, and space weather disciplines. Each AWG teams will develop new scientific Level- 2 algorithms for GOES-R and will also leverage science developments from other communities (other government agencies, universities and industry), and heritage approaches from current operational GOES and POES product systems. All algorithms will be demonstrated and validated in a scalable operational demonstration environment. All software developed by the AWG will adhere to new standards established within NOAA/NESDIS. The AWG Algorithm Integration Team (AIT) has the responsibility for establishing the system framework, integrating the product software from each team into this framework, enforcing the established software development standards, and preparing system deliveries. The AWG will deliver an Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD) for each GOES-R geophysical product as well as Delivered Algorithm Packages (DAPs) to the GPO.
Good and Bad Fathers as Moral Rhetoric in Wall Street

This essay reads the narrative dynamics between the “good” and “bad” father personas in Oliver Stone’s Wall Street as arguments seeking to persuade audiences about the morality of the father/son relationship. Specifically, the film develops an argumentative logic advancing one patriarchal ideology above, and at the expense of, others. An analysis of the film on the theme of fathers and sons reveals how contemporary ideas about what it means to be a “good” father are made culturally sensible and desirable.
A personal tribute to Manuel Cardona, theorist

(1994). A personal tribute to Manuel Cardona, theorist. Philosophical Magazine B: Vol. 70, Manuel Cardona-A Collection of Papers to Celebrate his Sixtieth Birthday, pp. 521-525.
Temperature dependence of the exciton bands of solid xenon

Abstract Bands observed in the absorption spectra of solid xenon deposited at 53 and 57 K are assumed to be two separate Wannier exciton series. A possible antiresonance band is also observed and may result from interactions between the two series.
Exploring the Differential Diagnosis of Joint Complaints in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

About one quarter of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience an extraintestinal manifestation, with the most common being arthritis or arthralgia. Because of the frequency of these joint complaints and their effect on quality of life, it is important to consider all possible etiologies in order to promptly evaluate, diagnose, and possibly refer to other specialists. Pediatric gastroenterologist and IBD specialists are cognizant of the extraintestinal joint manifestations, but may be less familiar with rheumatic disease and the musculoskeletal examination. We explore the differential diagnosis of joint complaints in children, with a focus on IBD-related disease and rheumatic disease.