cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neighborhood greenness and 2-year changes in body mass index of children and youth.

Methods: The sample included children and youth aged 3–16 years who lived at the same address for 24 consecutive months and received well-child care from a Marion County IN clinic network within the years 1996 –2002 (n3831). Multiple linear regression was used to examine associations among age- and gender-specific BMI z-scores in Year 2, residential density, and a satellite-derived measure of greenness, controlling for baseline BMI z-scores and other covariates. Logistic regression was used to model associations between an indicator of BMI z-score increase from baseline to Time 2 and the above-mentioned predictors. Results: Higher greenness was significantly associated with lower BMI z-scores at Time 2 regardless of residential density characteristics. Higher residential density was not associated with Time 2 BMI z-scores in models regardless of greenness. Higher greenness was also associated with lower odds of children’s and youth’s increasing their BMI z-scores over 2 years (OR0.87; 95% CI0.79, 0.97). Conclusions: Greenness may present a target for environmental approaches to preventing child obesity. Children and youth living in greener neighborhoods had lower BMI z-scores at Time 2, presumably due to increased physical activity or time spent outdoors. Conceptualizations of walkability from adult studies, based solely on residential density, may not be relevant to children and youth in urban environments. (Am J Prev Med 2008;35(6):547–553) © 2008 American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Advanced Optical Imaging Reveals the Dependence of Particle Geometry on Interactions Between CdSe Quantum Dots and Immune Cells

The biocompatibility and possible toxicological consequences of engineered nanomaterials, including quantum dots (QDs) due to their unique suitability for biomedical applications, remain intense areas of interest. We utilized advanced imaging approaches to characterize the interactions of CdSe QDs of various sizes and shapes with live immune cells. Particle diffusion and partitioning within the plasma membrane, cellular uptake kinetics, and sorting of particles into lysosomes were all independantly characterized. Using high-speed total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, we show that QDs with an average aspect ratio of 2.0 (i.e., rod-shaped) diffuse nearly an order of magnitude slower in the plasma membrane than more spherical particles with aspect ratios of 1.2 and 1.6, respectively. Moreover, more rod-shaped QDs were shown to be internalized into the cell 2-3 fold more slowly. Hyperspectral confocal fluorescence microscopy demonstrates that QDs tend to partition within the cell membrane into regions containing a single particle type. Furthermore, data examining QD sorting mechanisms indicate that endocytosis and lysosomal sorting increases with particle size. Together, these observations suggest that both size and aspect ratio of a nanoparticle are important characteristics that significantly impact interactions with the plasma membrane, uptake into the cell, and localization within intracellular vesicles. Thus, rather than simply characterizing nanoparticle uptake into cells, we show that utilization of advanced imaging approaches permits a more nuanced and complete examination of the multiple aspects of cell-nanoparticle interactions that can ultimately aid understanding possible mechanisms of toxicity, resulting in safer nanomaterial designs.
Long-term outcomes of surgical management for nonmalignant perineal disease

Purpose: A number of nonmalignant perineal diseases (focal and systemic) require surgery. The long-term outcome of various types of wound coverage for these diseases is not well described. We report the outcomes of perineal reconstruction for these diseases.Materials and Methods: We identified 32 patients who underwent surgery from July 1995 to December 2012 for a nonmalignant conditions, including local disease (perineal gangrene and focal granulomatous/idiopathic lymphangitis) and regional/systemic disease (post-radiation lymphedema, lymphedema praecox and hidradenitis suppurativa), who had greater than 1-year followup. Wound closure was achieved by split-thickness skin graft, primary closure, musculocutaneous flap or healing by secondary intention. Long-term cosmetic/functional outcomes were measured semiquantitatively.Results: Median patient age was 57 years (range 41 to 86) and median followup was 60 months (range 12 to 99). Of the patients 23 (72%) received a split-thickness skin graft, 2 (6%) under...
Sedimentology and Depositional Sequences of the Jordan Formation (Upper Cambrian), Northern Mississippi Valley

ABSTRACT The Jordan Formation, a typical cratonic quartz sandstone, has been the focus of study and contention for more than a century, especially because of its relation to the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary in the type area of Upper Cambrian strata in North America. The Jordan is approximately 30 m thick; the presence of trace fossils and scattered trilobite and brachiopod shells indicates a marine environment of deposition. The formation was deposited in an epeiric sea at least tens of meters deep (the "moat") lying between the still-exposed continental nucleus, which supplied clastic sediments, and an extensive carbonate shoal, which developed on the continental margin and advanced into the craton interior during Late Cambrian time (the "Great American Bank"). We recognize three facies in the Jordan on the basis of sedimentary structures and grain size. The hummocky-stratified facies, typified by the (basal Jordan) Norwalk Member, is composed of very fine to fine, subangular, feldspathic quartz sandstone, with extensive planar to low-angle bedding. This facies is interpreted to represent episodic storm deposition below fair-weather wave base in an offshore setting. The trough cross-stratified facies, typified by the (overlying) Van Oser Member, is composed of fine to medium, well-rounded, pure quartz sandstone, in pervasive high-angle trough cross-sets. Cross-bed orientation shows a regional southward (modern coordinates) transport direction, with much scatter and local bi-modal patterns. This facies was deposited as subaqueou dune bed forms. It is interpreted to have formed nearer the shoreline and above fair-weather wave base, with dune movement induced largely by storm-enhanced marine currents. The large-scale cross-stratified facies, present at the top of the Van Oser Member at a few scattered outcrops, is composed of coarse sandstone in cross-sets 1-2 m thick. This facies is interpreted as the shallowest and most energetic of all, whose deposition was dominated by currents of probable tidal origin. Because we recognize evidence for both storm and tidal processes in the Jordan, we favor a comparison with modern shelves in which combined processes are active. In general, the Jordan displays a coarsening-upward facies sequence, implying a progradational origin for the formation. Locally, part or all of a second coarsening-upward sequence is present, indicating that two progradational cycles took place. The upper contact of the formation is an unconformity, which variably truncates the progradational sequences. Above the unconformity, in overstep relationship to the truncated Jordan, lies the Lower Ordovician Prairie du Chien Group, a shoal-water carbonate unit with reworked quartz sand in its lower zone. The Prairie du Chien represents an extensive marine transgression that followed the sea-level lowstand at the end of Jordan deposition. Because of the scarcity of fossils in the upper Jordan, the age of the drawdown is not yet tightly const ained, but it is very near the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary.
Power electronic circuit topology

A generalized concept of 'sources' that embraces both power generators and power consumers is presented. This approach simplifies the basic topological aspects of power electronic converter circuits, which are reduced to an array of switches for selectively interconnecting two source systems. Capacitive and inductive filters can modify the nature of the systems, because they act as short-time sources and determine whether the converter sees a voltage source or a current source at its terminals. These differing source qualities require different types of switching devices and have ramifications in the mode of operation of the equipment. Some basic configurations are presented, and their significant properties are described, with emphasis on the most widely used circuits in high-power equipment, particularly AC/DC converters. >
An Adaptive Directed Transfer Function Approach for Detecting Dynamic Causal Interactions

This paper proposes the application of the directed transfer function (DTF) to a set of time-varying coefficients obtained through the use of a multivariate adaptive autoregressive (MVAAR) model. We define this time-varying measure of causality as the adaptive directed transfer function (ADTF) and compare its ability to discern changes in the causal interaction pattern as compared with the conventional DTF. To accomplish this task, two multivariate models with predefined interaction patterns were created in which the causal interaction between the nodes was altered during the course of the time series. In both models, the ADTF has the capability to discern the dynamic changes in the primary source of the information outflow. The results obtained by using the ADTF were subsequently compared to those calculated through use of the conventional DTF method and the present simulation result suggests that use of the ADTF could provide useful information regarding dynamic causality.
Evidence that mutation is universally biased towards AT in bacteria

Mutation is the engine that drives evolution and adaptation forward in that it generates the variation on which natural selection acts. Mutation is a random process that nevertheless occurs according to certain biases. Elucidating mutational biases and the way they vary across species and within genomes is crucial to understanding evolution and adaptation. Here we demonstrate that clonal pathogens that evolve under severely relaxed selection are uniquely suitable for studying mutational biases in bacteria. We estimate mutational patterns using sequence datasets from five such clonal pathogens belonging to four diverse bacterial clades that span most of the range of genomic nucleotide content. We demonstrate that across different types of sites and in all four clades mutation is consistently biased towards AT. This is true even in clades that have high genomic GC content. In all studied cases the mutational bias towards AT is primarily due to the high rate of C/G to T/A transitions. These results suggest that bacterial mutational biases are far less variable than previously thought. They further demonstrate that variation in nucleotide content cannot stem entirely from variation in mutational biases and that natural selection and/or a natural selection-like process such as biased gene conversion strongly affect nucleotide content.
The Role of Statin Drugs in the Management of the Peripheral Vascular Patient

The impact of statin therapy on established vascular conditions and recurrent disease is most relevant for long-term care. Patients receiving statin therapy have been shown to experience less recurrent stenosis following carotid endarterectomy and stent angioplasty, reduced cardiac events following cardiac and noncardiac vascular surgery, and reduction in aneurysm development. In patients with peripheral arterial disease, claudication distance is increased, as well as patency rates following infrainguinal arterial bypass grafting. Of note, statins drugs may also prove beneficial in the prevention of certain cancers, Alzheimer's disease, and osteoporosis (all diseases frequently seen concurrently in the patient with peripheral arterial disease). As such, it is becoming all the more necessary that vascular surgeons remain informed about clinical research initiatives related to statin use and lipid management in general. The following is a review of lipid metabolism as it applies to statins as well as a review of the beneficial effects of statins.
The 1994 Haiti intervention: A unilateral operation in multilateral Clothes

Abstract Observers of United States (US) interventions have almost universally characterized the 1994 Haiti intervention as multilateral, a model for how international cooperation can achieve common security goals. A closer analysis of the intervention reveals that the planning and execution of the intervention were almost entirely unilateral and therefore cost the US few if any of the theoretical costs of coalition warfare, including interoperability and policy compromise. Mapped onto the unilateral strategy and operation of the intervention, however, was a multilateral diplomatic effort that secured United Nations Security Council authorization and provided a cover for an intervention that the US had already planned and intended to execute with or without that authorization. That the US sought a multilateral cover for an intervention that it could easily accomplish unilaterally shows the importance of two factors: A domestic audience that opposed unilateral peacekeeping but would accept using US resourc...
Microarchitecture evaluation with floorplanning and interconnect pipelining

As microprocessor technology continues to scale into the nanometer regime, recent studies show that interconnect delay will be a limiting factor for performance, and multiple cycles will be necessary to communicate global signals across the chip. Thus, longer interconnects need to be pipelined, and the impact of the extra latency along wires needs to be considered during early microarchitecture design exploration. In this paper, we address this problem and make the following contributions: (1) a floor plan-driven microarchitecture evaluation methodology considering interconnect pipelining at a given target frequency by selectively optimizing architecture level critical paths; (2) use of microarchitecture performance sensitivity models to weight microarchitectural critical paths during floor planning and optimize them for higher performance; and (3) a methodology to study the impact of frequency scaling on microarchitecture performance with consideration of interconnect pipelining. For a sample microarchitecture design space, we show that considering interconnect pipelining can increase the estimated performance against a no wire pipelining approach between 25% to 45%. We also demonstrate the value of the methodology in exploring the target frequency of the processor.
Identification of Hospital Outliers in Bleeding Complications After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background—Post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) bleeding complications are an important quality metric. We sought to characterize site-level variation in post-PCI bleeding and explore the influence of patient and procedural factors on hospital bleeding performance. Methods and Results—Hospital-level bleeding performance was compared pre- and postadjustment using the newly revised CathPCI Registry® bleeding risk model (c-index, 0.77) among 1292 National Cardiovascular Data Registry® hospitals performing >50 PCIs from 7/2009 to 9/2012 (n=1 984 998 procedures). Using random effects models, outlier sites were identified based on 95% confidence intervals around the hospital’s random intercept. Bleeding 72 hours post-PCI was defined as: arterial access site, retroperitoneal, gastrointestinal, or genitourinary bleeding; intracranial hemorrhage; cardiac tamponade; nonbypass surgery–related blood transfusion with preprocedure hemoglobin ≥8 g/dL; or absolute decrease in hemoglobin value ≥3 g/dL with prepro...
Update on SiC-based inverter technology

This paper presents a study of Silicon Carbide (SiC) technology which includes device characterization and modeling, inverter simulation, and test results for several prototype inverters. The static and dynamic characteristics of discrete devices and half bridge modules are presented. Test results of a 55 kW hybrid inverter with SiC Schottky diodes and an 18 kW all-SiC inverter using SiC JFETs and Schottky diodes are demonstrated.
Uranium(VI) Sorption Complexes on Montmorillonite as a Function of Solution Chemistry.

Abstract We have investigated the effect of changes in solution chemistry on the nature of uranyl sorption complexes on montmorillonite (SAz-1) at different surface coverages (1.43–53.6 μmol/g). Uranyl uptake onto SAz-1 between pH 3 and 7 was determined in both titration and batch-mode experiments. These pH values result in solutions that contain a range of monomeric and oligomeric aqueous uranyl species. Continuous-wave and time-resolved emission spectroscopies were used to investigate the nature of U(VI) sorbed to SAz-1. A discrete set of uranyl surface complexes has been identified over a wide range of pH values at these low to moderate coverages. For all samples, two surface complexes are detected with spectral characteristics commensurate with an inner-sphere complex and an exchange-site complex; the relative abundance of these two species is similar over these pH values at low coverage (1.43–2.00 μmol/g). In addition, surface species having spectra consistent with polymeric hydroxide-like sorption complexes form at the moderate coverages (∼34–54 μmol/g), increasing in abundance as the capacity of the amphoteric surface sites is exceeded. Furthermore, a species with spectral characteristics anticipated for an outer-sphere surface complex is observed for wet paste samples at low pH (3.7–4.4) and both low (∼2 μmol/g) and moderate (∼40 μmol/g) coverage. There are only subtle differences in the nature of sorption complexes formed at different pH values but similar coverages, despite markedly different uranyl speciation in solution. These results indicate that the speciation in the solution has minimal influence on the nature of the sorption complex under these experimental conditions. The primary control on the nature and abundance of the different uranyl sorption complexes appears to be the relative abundance and reactivity of the different sorption sites.
RTL SAT simplification by Boolean and interval arithmetic reasoning

We present a method that combines interval-arithmetic (IA) and Boolean reasoning with structural hashing for simplifying SAT problems on circuits expressed at the register-transfer level. We demonstrate that simple transformations based on interval-arithmetic operations can significantly reduce the complexity of the problem. We identify cases where the inherent over-approximations in IA operations can be reduced. We demonstrate that these techniques can significantly reduce RTL-SAT instances in size and runtime.
Novel Genetic Variation Identified at Fixed Loci in ORF62 of the Oka Varicella Vaccine and in a Case of Vaccine-Associated Herpes Zoster

The live attenuated Oka varicella vaccine (vOka), derived from clade 2 wild-type (wt) virus pOka, is used for routine childhood immunization in several countries, including the United States, which has caused dramatic declines in the incidence of varicella. vOka can cause varicella, establish latency, and reactivate to cause herpes zoster (HZ). Three loci in varicella-zoster virus (VZV) open reading frame 62 (ORF62) (106262, 107252, and 108111) are used to distinguish vOka from wt VZV. A fourth position (105705) is also fixed for the vOka allele in nearly all vaccine batches. These 4 positions and two vOka mutations (106710 and 107599) reportedly absent from Varivax were analyzed on Varivax-derived ORF62 TOPO TA clones. The wt allele was detected at positions 105705 and 107252 on 3% and 2% of clones, respectively, but was absent at positions 106262 and 108111. Position 106710 was fixed for the wt allele, whereas the vOka allele was present on 18.4% of clones at position 107599. We also evaluated the 4 vOka markers in an isolate obtained from a case of vaccine-caused HZ. The isolate carried the vOka allele at positions 105705, 106262, and 108111. However, at position 107252, the wt allele was present. Thus, all of the ORF62 vOka markers previously regarded as fixed occur as the wt allele in a small percentage of vOka strains. Characterization of all four vOka markers in ORF62 and of the clade 2 subtype marker in ORF38 is now necessary to confirm vOka adverse events.
East Antarctic sea ice in spring: spectral albedo of snow, nilas, frost flowers and slush, and light-absorbing impurities in snow

Spectral albedos of open water, nilas, nilas with frost flowers, slush, and first-year ice with both thin and thick snow cover were measured in the East Antarctic sea-ice zone during the Sea Ice Physics and Ecosystems eXperiment II (SIPEX II) from September to November 2012, near 658 S, 1208 E. Albedo was measured across the ultraviolet (UV), visible and near-infrared (nIR) wavelengths, augmenting a dataset from prior Antarctic expeditions with spectral coverage extended to longer wavelengths, and with measurement of slush and frost flowers, which had not been encountered on the prior expeditions. At visible and UV wavelengths, the albedo depends on the thickness of snow or ice; in the nIR the albedo is determined by the specific surface area. The growth of frost flowers causes the nilas albedo to increase by 0.2-0.3 in the UV and visible wavelengths. The spectral albedos are integrated over wavelength to obtain broadband albedos for wavelength bands commonly used in climate models. The albedo spectrum for deep snow on first-year sea ice shows no evidence of light- absorbing particulate impurities (LAI), such as black carbon (BC) or organics, which is consistent with the extremely small quantities of LAI found by filtering snow meltwater. Estimated BC mixing ratios were in the range 0.1-0.5 ng of carbon per gram of snow.
Linking the Cell Cycle to Cell Fate Decisions

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) retain the ability to differentiate into a wide range of cell types while undergoing self-renewal. They also exhibit an unusual mode of cell cycle regulation, reflected by a cell cycle structure where G1 and G2 phases are truncated. When individual PSCs are exposed to specification cues, they activate developmental programs and remodel the cell cycle so that the length of G1 and overall cell division times increase. The response of individual stem cells to pro-differentiation signals is strikingly heterogeneous, resulting in asynchronous differentiation. Recent evidence indicates that this phenomenon is due to cell cycle-dependent mechanisms that restrict the initial activation of developmental genes to the G1 phase. This suggests a broad biological mechanism where multipotent cells are 'primed' to initiate cell fate decisions during their transition through G1. Here, I discuss mechanisms underpinning the commitment towards the differentiated state and its relation to the cell cycle.
Hydrodynamic cavitation and boiling in refrigerant (R-123) flow inside microchannels

Abstract This research article investigates the effect that hydrodynamic cavitation has on heat transfer. The fluid medium is refrigerant R-123 flowing through 227 μm hydraulic diameter microchannels. The cavitation is instigated by the inlet orifice. Adiabatic tests were conducted to study the two-phase cavitating flow morphologies and hydrodynamic characteristics of the flow. Diabatic experiments were performed resulting in surface temperatures under heat fluxes up to 213 W/cm2 and mass velocities from 622 kg/m2 s to 1368 kg/m2 s. Results were compared to non-cavitating flows at the same mass velocities. It was found that the cavitating flows can significantly enhance the heat transfer. The heat transfer coefficient of the cavitating flows was larger than the non-cavitating flows by as much as 84%. Single-phase and two-phase heat transfer coefficients have been elucidated and employed to deduce the heat transfer mechanism prevailing under boiling conditions with and without the presence of cavitation.
An in-vitro preparation of isolated enteric neurons and glia from the myenteric plexus of the adult mouse.

The enteric nervous system is a vast network of neurons and glia running the length of the gastrointestinal tract that functionally controls gastrointestinal motility. A procedure for the isolation and culture of a mixed population of neurons and glia from the myenteric plexus is described. The primary cultures can be maintained for over 7 days, with connections developing among the neurons and glia. The longitudinal muscle strip with the attached myenteric plexus is stripped from the underlying circular muscle of the mouse ileum or colon and subjected to enzymatic digestion. In sterile conditions, the isolated neuronal and glia population are preserved within the pellet following centrifugation and plated on coverslips. Within 24-48 hr, neurite outgrowth occurs and neurons can be identified by pan-neuronal markers. After two days in culture, isolated neurons fire action potentials as observed by patch clamp studies. Furthermore, enteric glia can also be identified by GFAP staining. A network of neurons and glia in close apposition forms within 5 - 7 days. Enteric neurons can be individually and directly studied using methods such as immunohistochemistry, electrophysiology, calcium imaging, and single-cell PCR. Furthermore, this procedure can be performed in genetically modified animals. This methodology is simple to perform and inexpensive. Overall, this protocol exposes the components of the enteric nervous system in an easily manipulated manner so that we may better discover the functionality of the ENS in normal and disease states.
Guaranteeing Real-Time Behaviour in Adaptive Distributed Systems

Abstract Traditionally, real-time systems have been realized as isolated, embedded systems. Unfortunately, this approach does not longer suffice for future complex systems in application scenarios like flexible manufacturing, multimedia, robotics and process control. Often, there is a need to integrate external services through non real-time, object-oriented interfaces (e.g. CORBA).The most distinguishing requirement for these complex real-time systems is the need to adapt to dynamically changing conditions. Little work has been done on (operating) system mechanisms and algorithms that are flexible enough to cope with this new requirement. This paper presents an approach for an adaptive object-oriented system with integrated monitoring, dynamic execution time prediction and scheduling. Its applicability in a CORBA-like environment is exhibited.
An isoform of the Wilms' tumor suppressor gene potentiates granulocytic differentiation

WT1 is expressed in hematopoietic progenitor cells and in acute leukemia, but its role in normal and malignant hematopoiesis has not been clearly defined. Alternative splicing of the WT1 mRNA yields several protein isoforms with distinct DNA binding and transcriptional regulatory activities. In this study, we investigated the effect of the WT1 isoform lacking two alternatively spliced sequences (WT1 (−/−)) in 32D cl3 cells, a murine myeloid progenitor cell line. The expression of WT1 (−/−) accelerated the granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-mediated differentiation of these cells, as judged by morphology and by the expression of differentiation-associated genes and cell surface antigens. WT1 (−/−) inhibited G1/S progression in G-CSF but not in interleukin-3, potentially accounting for its ability to accelerate differentiation. It is likely that dominant-negative mutants previously reported in leukemia patients participate in leukemogenesis by inhibiting this function of the wild-type protein.
Multiphase Catalytic Hydrogenolysis/Hydrodeoxygenation Processes for Chemicals from Renewable Feedstocks: Kinetics, Mechanism, and Reaction Engineering

A review of multiphase catalytic processes in biomass conversion is presented, with an emphasis on the underlying kinetics, mechanism, and reaction engineering aspects. The distinguishing features and current state of development of catalysts and processes for a few selected examples of biomass conversion are presented, including hydrogenolysis and tandem reforming/hydrogenolysis of polyols to glycols and linear alcohols, hydrodeoxygenation of bio-oils, and polyols conversion to lactic acid along with possible reaction pathways. The complexities of multistep and multiphase catalytic reactions and kinetics modeling associated with hydrogenolysis and hydrodeoxygenation are discussed with a brief overview of reaction engineering aspects.
Autophagy Promotes Focal Adhesion Disassembly and Cell Motility of Metastatic Tumor Cells through the Direct Interaction of Paxillin with LC3.

Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process that plays a housekeeping role in eliminating protein aggregates and organelles and is activated during nutrient deprivation to generate metabolites and energy. Autophagy plays a significant role in tumorigenesis, although opposing context-dependent functions of autophagy in cancer have complicated efforts to target autophagy for therapeutic purposes. We demonstrate that autophagy inhibition reduces tumor cell migration and invasion in vitro and attenuates metastasis in vivo. Numerous abnormally large focal adhesions (FAs) accumulate in autophagy-deficient tumor cells, reflecting a role for autophagy in FA disassembly through targeted degradation of paxillin. We demonstrate that paxillin interacts with processed LC3 through a conserved LIR motif in the amino-terminal end of paxillin and that this interaction is regulated by oncogenic SRC activity. Together, these data establish a function for autophagy in FA turnover, tumor cell motility, and metastasis.
Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal 4 × 4 Optical Interconnect

We report the design and experimental results of a 4×4 ferroelectric liquid crystal double crossbar switch. We argue that for asynchronous data this switch can be scaled to accept 50 to 100 inputs.
Productivity Growth and Yields in the Global Crops Sector

Despite strong growth in population and incomes over the past century, cropland expansion has been modest and crop prices have trended downwards. This remarkable accomplishment has been largely due to technological innovation as well as intensification of crop production. This chapter explores the topic of crop productivity growth and its implications for long term land use, the environment and food security. It begins with a review of the historical evidence before moving into the debate about future productivity growth. Here, there are two distinct ‘camps’: one focusing on slowing yield growth to paint a relatively pessimistic picture, and one focusing on strong growth in total factor productivity (TFP) in order to find grounds for optimism in feeding the world in 2050. We find grounds for reconciling these two points of view when we draw a distinction between different measures of productivity growth. We also discuss one of the key determinants of future productivity growth—namely investment in research and development of new crop varieties and technologies for cultivation. To conclude the chapter, we present a series of simulations to 2050 using the SIMPLE model. These serve to highlight the fact that yields and productivity growth are not synonymous in an economic model. Rather, output per hectare depends both on TFP growth as well as the intensification of production.
Single polymer dynamics of topologically complex DNA

Abstract Single molecule studies allow for the direct observation of polymer dynamics in dilute and concentrated solutions, thereby revealing polymer chain conformations and molecular sub-populations that may be obscured in ensemble-level measurements. Over the past two decades, researchers have used DNA as a model system to study polymer dynamics at the molecular level. The vast majority of studies have focused on linear DNA molecules; however, researchers have recently begun to study polymers with complex topologies and architectures at the single molecule level. Here, we explore recent work in single polymer dynamics focused on topologically complex DNA, including knots, ring polymers, and branched polymers. Experimental, computational, and theoretical advances have enabled in-depth studies of topologically complex DNA, with recent efforts focused on complex molecular conformations, intermolecular interactions, and topology-dependent dynamics. In this article, we highlight recent work aimed at understanding the interplay between molecular-scale behavior and the emergent properties of polymeric materials.
Risk Factors for Suicidal Ideation in People at Risk for Huntington's Disease.

BACKGROUND Suicidal ideation (SI) and attempts are increased in Huntington's disease (HD), making risk factor assessment a priority. OBJECTIVE To determine whether, hopelessness, irritability, aggression, anxiety, CAG expansion status, depression, and motor signs/symptoms were associated with Suicidal Ideation (SI) in those at risk for HD. METHODS Behavioral and neurological data were collected from subjects in an observational study. Subject characteristics were calculated by CAG status and SI. Logistic regression models were adjusted for demographics. Separate logistic regressions were used to compare SI and non-SI subjects. A combined logistic regression model, including 4 pre-specified predictors, (hopelessness, irritability, aggression, anxiety) was used to assess the relationship of SI to these predictors. RESULTS 801 subjects were assessed, 40 were classified as having SI, 6.3% of CAG mutation expansion carriers had SI, compared with 4.3% of non- CAG mutation expansion carriers (p = 0.2275). SI subjects had significantly increased depression (p < 0.0001), hopelessness (p < 0.0001), irritability (p < 0.0001), aggression (p = 0.0089), and anxiety (p < 0.0001), and an elevated motor score (p = 0.0098). Impulsivity, assessed in a subgroup of subjects, was also associated with SI (p = 0.0267). Hopelessness and anxiety remained significant in combined model (p < 0.001; p < 0.0198, respectively) even when motor score was included. CONCLUSIONS Behavioral symptoms were significantly higher in those reporting SI. Hopelessness and anxiety showed a particularly strong association with SI. Risk identification could assist in assessment of suicidality in this group.
638. TGFBeta Signaling Blockade within PSMA Targeted CAR Human T Cells for the Eradication of Metastatic Prostate Cancer

The recent efficacies demonstrated using Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) mediated immunotherapy to treat hematological malignancies have been met with great enthusiasm as holding great potential for the eradication of hematological malignancies. Unfortunately, the ability to target metastatic solid tumors like prostate cancer with CAR T cells has been less successful. The major parameter to achieve in using CAR T cells to treat prostate cancer is overcoming the immunosuppression that is created by the tumors to inhibit CAR T cells. Our efforts have aimed to create PSMA specific CAR T cells that are resistant to the TGFBeta induced suppression extensively demonstrated to exist in prostate cancer. Upon binding PSMA, our second-generation CAR supplies 4-1BB and CD3zeta signaling previously demonstrated to allow for long-term T cell persistence and eradication of leukemia when targeted to CD19. We therefore created anti-PSMA CAR T Cells that coexpress the dominant negative TGFBeta receptor II (dnTGFRBetaII).Having focused on safety and efficacy of these anti-PSMABBz CAR T cells that express dnTGFRBetaII (dnTGFRBetaII-T2A-PBBZ), we demonstrate evidence of dnTGFRBetaII functionality. The dnTGFRBetaII functions to prevent SMAD signaling induced by TGFBeta, therefore resisting upregulation of CD25 and CTLA-4 by T cells. When co-cultured with tumor cells in vitro, efficient antigen specific lysis is induced by the PBBZ CAR and the dnTGFRBetaII-T2A-PBBZ CAR T cells exhibit up to 15 fold overall proliferation than PBBZ alone CAR T cells over 42 days. This allows for superior levels of T cell persistence in the peripheral blood of NSG mice after 3-4 weeks post infusion when compared to T cells expressing the anti-PSMA CAR alone. Most importantly, these CAR T cells are very effective at eradicating systemic PSMA+ PC3 prostate cancer cells in vivo demonstrated in two animal experiments at three different doses of CAR T cells. These studies suggest proper resistance to TGFBeta by CAR modified T cells that show great promise to eradicate metastatic prostate cancer in the clinic.Disclosure of Conflict of Interest:C.C.K. reports having ownership interest in patents owned by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and licensed to Juno Therapeutics and is a consultant for 121 Bio, LLC. J.L. reports no conflicts. C.H.J. reports receiving commercial research grants from Novartis and has ownership interest in patents owned by University of Pennsylvania and licensed to Novartis.Funding Acknowledgments:This study was supported by the Prostate Cancer Foundation All-Star Killer T-Cell Special Challenge Award 2014 - 2016.
Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios can Predict Treatment Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Esophageal Cancer.

We hypothesized that serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios may predict pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in esophageal cancer patients. The ability to predict favorable treatment response to therapy may aid in determining optimal treatment regimens. A retrospective review of a prospective esophageal disease registry was conducted. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was defined as the pre-chemoradiotherapy serum neutrophil count divided by lymphocyte count. Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was similarly defined. Logistic regression was applied to analyze these ratios and their effect on pathologic complete response. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to analyze survival. Sixty patients were included. Elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were both negative predictors of pathologic complete response (odds ratio: 0.62; 95% confidence interval: 0.37–0.89, P = 0.037 and odds ratio: 0.91; 95% confidence interval: 0.82–0.98, P = 0.028, respectively). Only platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was predictive of decreased overall survival (hazard ratio: 1.05, 95% confidence interval: 0.94–1.16, P = 0.40). Elevated neutrophil and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios were significant predictors of a poor treatment response to neoadjuvant therapy. Only elevated platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio was predictive of worse overall survival. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios may offer a simple serum test to assess the likelihood of a pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal cancer.
Seeing ghosts: parsing China’s “ghost city” controversy

ABSTRACTControversy has arisen in recent years over the creation of so-called “ghost cities” across China. The ghost city term tends to describe large-scale urban areas, sometimes planned as new towns, featuring an abundance of new built space and appearing to also have extremely low tenancy. This article examines key questions related to the ghost city phenomenon, such as: what is a ghost city? Are ghost cities driven by a tendency toward over-supply in housing? How are local-level political incentives aligned to foster the production of ghost cities? Are ghost cities temporary anomalies or structural features of China’s urban-led economic growth model? We discuss recent scholarly research into ghost cities and present original findings to show how an excess of urban space may plague certain Chinese cities.
Structured Population Dynamics

Population dynamics attempts to account for changes in the sizes of biological populations. This is a fundamental problem in biology that has occupied scientists’ attention since at least Aristotle. It is a problem of not only intrinsic interest, but of fundamental importance in other biological investigations as well. Models of population dynamics form the bases of models in ecology, genetics, theories of evolution, cell dynamics, epidemiology, resource management, bioeconomics, ecotoxicology, sociobiology and many other disciplines of the biological, medical, and environmental sciences. Given a biological population’s natural propensity for exponential growth and the finiteness of our natural world, at the heart of this problem is the fundamental problem of how population numbers are “regulated”, i.e. how they are kept from growing without bound.
Obtaining short-fiber orientation model parameters using non-lubricated squeeze flow

Accurate models of fiber orientation dynamics during the processing of polymer-fiber composites are needed for the design work behind important automobile parts. All of the existing models utilize empirical parameters, but a standard method for obtaining them independent of processing does not exist. This study considers non-lubricated squeeze flow through a rectangular channel as a solution. A two-dimensional finite element method simulation of the kinematics and fiber orientation evolution along the centerline of a sample is developed as a first step toward a fully three-dimensional simulation. The model is used to fit to orientation data in a short-fiber-reinforced polymer composite after squeezing. Fiber orientation model parameters obtained in this study do not agree well with those obtained for the same material during startup of simple shear. This is attributed to the vastly different rates at which fibers orient during shearing and extensional flows. A stress model is also used to try to fit to ex...
Relationships Between Germanium and Cadmium in the Electrolysis of Zinc Sulphate Solutions

The paper provides electrometallurgical data on the problem of germanium removal from zinc sulphate solutions. Germanium traces have caused much concern to the zinc refiner. Confirmatory evidence of interaction between germanium and cadmium is presented. Statistical analysis of data expands its significance and enhances its value. Further research is outlined.
Queer Refuge: The Impacts of Homoantagonism and Racism in U.S. Asylum Law

U.S. asylum law is intended to provide protection to individuals who fear persecution on account of five protected classes, including membership in a particular social group. Since 1990, asylum law has recognized sexual orientation as a “particular social group” and has since expanded to cover other people under the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) umbrella. Despite this development, LGBTQ asylum seekers continue to face discrimination from immigration officials and judges who make decisions based on racialized sexual stereotypes and culturally specific notions of homosexuality. This article demonstrates how the use of these stereotypes is not an unfortunate accident but the inevitable consequence of the inherent homoantagonism and racism in U.S. immigration law and policy. From the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to the HIV travel ban of 1987, racial quotas and homophobic exclusions have formed the basis of much of U.S. immigration law. Although the asylum process has been cleaned up into facially neutral language, these discriminatory provisions have been institutionalized in the law. There are also structural elements within the asylum framework that encourage adjudicators to use stereotypes in their decision-making, and doctrinal barriers that foreclose relief from this discretionary abuse. The combination of institutionalized discrimination of the past and contemporary structural and doctrinal barriers work together to elevate the use of stereotypes from an unfortunate influence to a decisive factor in an applicant's success. This results in biased, inconsistent decisions and ultimately a failure to uphold the human rights of LGBTQ asylum-seekers. This Article is divided into three parts: it analyzes the particular difficulties that LGBTQ applicants face in asylum law, and underscores the need for institutional reform. Part I begins with a brief history of discrimination in immigration and asylum law, noting how the intersection of racial and sexual exclusions is doubly burdensome for LGBTQ immigrants of color. This Part concludes with a review of the general procedure for seeking asylum, and identifies how the traditional understanding of a refugee is inadequate in addressing the nature of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in asylum claims. Part II analyzes systemic problems that LGBTQ immigrants face, namely how the lack of clear statutory definitions and other structural barriers encourage the use of stereotypes, and how the Chevron and plenary power doctrines facilitate the use of these stereotypes by insulating decisions from judicial review. Finally, Part III offers some solutions that target the institutional level, such as improved training for immigration judges and new Department of Homeland Security regulations that effectively bar the use of racial sexualized stereotypes, as well as strategies which asylum-seekers can adopt in the interim to improve their chances of success.
Genetic analysis of yield and agronomic traits under reproductive-stage drought stress in rice using a high-resolution linkage map

Abstract Drought stress at the reproductive stage of rice crop leads to a huge loss in grain yield. Identification and introgression of large effect drought tolerant QTLs are necessary to develop drought-tolerant rice varieties. Compared to the high-density linkage maps, widely spaced markers lead to the identification of QTLs with large confidence intervals which are difficult to incorporate in a breeding program. A previously generated genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) based linkage map consisting of 4748 SNP markers was used to map QTLs in Cocodrie × N-22 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population. Twenty-one QTLs were discovered for days to flowering (DTF), plant height (PH), leaf rolling score (LRS), plant dry matter content (DM), spikelet fertility (SF), grain yield (GY), yield index (YI), and harvest index (HI) under drought stress. A major QTL qPH1.38 was identified in a narrow confidence interval on chromosome 1. The QTLs, qDTF3.01 and qPH1.38, overlapped with the previously identified QTL qDTY1.1 and Hd9, respectively. Another large-effect QTL qLRS1.37 was identified close to the sd1 locus on chromosome 1. A grain yield QTL qGY1.42 located on chromosome 1 contained only 4 candidate genes. There was no overlapping of QTLs for the root traits and the yield attributes. The important candidate genes present within the large effect QTL regions are MYB transcription factors, no apical meristem protein (NAC), potassium channel protein, nuclear matrix protein1, and chlorophyll A-B binding protein. The large effect QTLs (qDTF3.01, qPH1.38, and qLRS1.37) and a novel grain yield QTL qGYS1.42 can be used to incorporate in elite breeding lines to develop drought-tolerant rice varieties.
Brookes is relaxed, almost!

We revisit the Brookes [1996] semantics for a shared variable parallel programming language in the context of the Total Store Ordering TSO relaxed memory model. We describe a denotational semantics that is fully abstract for Brookes' language and also sound for the new commands that are specific to TSO. Our description supports the folklore sentiment about the simplicity of the TSO memory model.
Blow Molding, Rotational Molding, and Other Molding Operations

A number of molding operations other than injection molding are used in polymer processing. These include blow molding, rotational molding, transfer molding, and compression molding. Some of their advantages and disadvantages, together with those of injection molding, are listed in Table 9–1. Each of these processes will be discussed in the succeeding sections.
Fura-2 Imaging of Localized Calcium Accumulation Within Squid ‘Giant’ Presynaptic Terminal

Calcium ions play a key role in synaptic transmission: a transmembrane flux of calcium, through voltage-gated calcium channels, is the trigger that initiates secretion of neurotransmitters from presynaptic terminals (Katz, 1969; Llinas, 1982; Augustine, et al., 1987a). The central role of Ca channel-mediated Ca influx in transmission, coupled with the well-documented compartmentalization of intracellular Ca signals (Rose and Loewenstein, 1975; Gilkey, et al., 1978; Williams, et al., 1985; Tsien and Poenie, 1986) makes it important to know where Ca channels are located in the membrane of presynaptic terminals and to understand the propagation of Ca signals within presynaptic cytoplasm.