Texas Center for Digital Humanities and New Media

We propose the creation of a Center for Digital Humanities, Media and Culture (formerly titled Texas Center for Digital Humanities and New Media). The Center will address two related grand challenges: the need to investigate the relationship of computing technologies and culture, and the need to construct cyberinfrastructure for the humanities and social sciences. The Center’s research, focused in four interrelated areas -- the cultural record, cultural systems, cultural environments, and cultural interactions in the digital age – engages one of the most compelling questions of our time: What does it mean to be human in the digital age

Development of a Fast SARS-CoV-2 IgG ELISA, Based on Receptor-Binding Domain, and Its Comparative Evaluation Using Temporally Segregated Samples From RT-PCR Positive Individuals

SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection assays are crucial for gathering seroepidemiological information and monitoring the sustainability of antibody response against the virus. The SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein's receptor-binding domain (RBD) is a very specific target for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies detection. Moreover, many neutralizing antibodies are mapped to this domain, linking antibody response to RBD with neutralizing potential. Detection of IgG antibodies, rather than IgM or total antibodies, against RBD is likely to play a larger role in understanding antibody-mediated protection and vaccine response. Here we describe a rapid and stable RBD-based IgG ELISA test obtained through extensive optimization of the assay components and conditions. The test showed a specificity of 99.79% (95% CI: 98.82-99.99%) in a panel of pre-pandemic samples (n = 470) from different groups, i.e., pregnancy, fever, HCV, HBV, and autoantibodies positive. Test sensitivity was evaluated using sera from SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive individuals (n = 312) and found to be 53.33% (95% CI: 37.87-68.34%), 80.47% (95% CI: 72.53-86.94%), and 88.24% (95% CI: 82.05-92.88%) in panel 1 (days 0-13), panel 2 (days 14-20) and panel 3 (days 21-27), respectively. Higher sensitivity was achieved in symptomatic individuals and reached 92.14% (95% CI: 86.38-96.01%) for panel 3. Our test, with a shorter runtime, showed higher sensitivity than parallelly tested commercial ELISAs for SARS-CoV-2-IgG, i.e., Euroimmun and Zydus, even when equivocal results in the commercial ELISAs were considered positive. None of the tests, which are using different antigens, could detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgGs in 10.5% RT-PCR positive individuals by the fourth week, suggesting the lack of IgG response

CEO succession and the CEO’s commitment to the status quo

Chief executive officer (CEO) commitment to the status quo (CSQ) is expected to play an important role in any firm’s strategic adaptation. CSQ is used often as an explanation for strategic change occurring after CEO succession: new CEOs are expected to reveal a lower CSQ than established CEOs. Although widely accepted in the literature, this relationship remains imputed but unobserved. We address this research gap and analyze whether new CEOs reveal lower CSQ than established CEOs. By analyzing the letters to the shareholders of German HDAX firms, we find empirical support for our hypothesis of a lower CSQ of newly appointed CEOs compared to established CEOs. However, our detailed analyses provide a differentiated picture. We find support for a lower CSQ of successors after a forced CEO turnover compared to successors after a voluntary turnover, which indicates an influence of the mandate for change on the CEO’s CSQ. However, against the widespread assumption, we do not find support for a lower CSQ of outside successors compared to inside successors, which calls for deeper analyses of the insiderness of new CEOs. Further, our supplementary analyses propose a revised tenure effect: the widely assumed relationship of an increase in CSQ when CEO tenure increases might be driven mainly by the event of CEO succession and may not universally and continuously increase over time, pointing to a “window of opportunity” to initiate strategic change shortly after the succession event. By analyzing the relationship between CEO succession and CEO CSQ, our results contribute to the CSQ literature and provide fruitful impulses for the CEO succession literature

Not Available

Not AvailableAbstract Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is the most important cereal in crop-livestock production systems in arid and drier semi-arid environments valued for its grain and dry stover. The conventional approach of improving grain yield through greater partitioning of biomass to the grain and decreased stover yield is not a viable strategy for arid regions where biomass also needs to be improved. The current research tested the hypothesis whether biomass can be improved without extending the crop duration. The 232 F5 lines derived from a cross (J28 9 RIB 335/18) were evaluated in their testcross form along with three commercial hybrids under arid zone conditions. Bio- mass, grain and stover yields, panicle number, grain size and grain number panicle-1 varied 1.8 to 2.7 fold in progeny testcrosses. Variation in duration of flow- ering time accounted for only 2% of variation in biomass, indicating that considerable scope existed for selection of testcrosses, and by implication, of F5 progenies with high biomass independent of crop duration. Stover yield accounted for 72% of differ- ences in total biomass with remaining accounted for by grain yield. From among 92 and 132 testcrosses that had flowering time comparable to two early checks, most had significantly higher biomass, grain and stover yields than these early checks but none of the testcrosses had earliness on par with extra-early maturing hybrid HHB 67. Mean superiority of best 5% testcrosses over early checks was 58% for biomass, 68% for stover yield and 53% for grain yield. The results indicated that there are good prospects of improving biomass in arid zone pearl millet without significantly compromising crop duration.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailablePearl millet is the most widely grown cereal in hot and arid regions of north-western India and is valued for both stover and grain. The grain is used for human consumption and its dry stover is a vital fodder resource for ruminant animals. The present paper reports trends in pearl millet stover production over a period of six decades and reviews prospects of enhancing it further. The estimated dry stover production of pearl millet has been increased from 8.8 m tons in 1950 to 21.8 m tons in 2010 due to increase in productivity at the rate of 22 kg/ha/year owing to adoption of high yielding cultivars and suitable agro-production technologies. Two approaches followed to improve quantity and qualities of pearl millet stover include crop management and genetic enhancement. Agronomic practices like fertilizer application, planting density, and time and method of harvesting have been utilized to significantly improve stover yield. A good range of genetic variation and moderate to high estimates of heritability have been observed in pearl millet for stover yield and quality suggesting that there exists good opportunities to further improve both traits. A greater emphasis is currently being laid in Indian national programme of pearl millet improvement on the development of dual-purpose pearl millet cultivars that can provide high stover productivity without compromising their grain productivity.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailablePearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is the most important cereal in crop-livestock production systems in arid and drier semi-arid environments valued for its grain and dry stover. The conventional approach of improving grain yield through greater partitioning of biomass to the grain and decreased stover yield is not a viable strategy for arid regions where biomass also needs to be improved. The current research tested the hypothesis whether biomass can be improved without extending the crop duration. The 232 F5 lines derived from a cross (J28 9 RIB 335/18) were evaluated in their testcross form along with three commercial hybrids under arid zone conditions. Biomass, grain and stover yields, panicle number, grain size and grain number panicle-1 varied 1.8 to 2.7 fold in progeny testcrosses. Variation in duration of flowering time accounted for only 2% of variation in biomass, indicating that considerable scope existed for selection of testcrosses, and by implication, of F5 progenies with high biomass independent of crop duration. Stover yield accounted for 72% of differences in total biomass with remaining accounted for by grain yield. From among 92 and 132 testcrosses that had flowering time comparable to two early checks, most had significantly higher biomass, grain and stover yields than these early checks but none of the testcrosses had earliness on par with extra-early maturing hybrid HHB 67. Mean superiority of best 5% testcrosses over early checks was 58% for biomass, 68% for stover yield and 53% for grain yield. The results indicated that there are good prospects of improving biomass in arid zone pearl millet without significantly compromising crop duration.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableNot AvailableNot Availabl

Multiple laser-based high-speed digital shadowgraphy system for small caliber projectile-target interaction studies

High-speed optical shadowgraphy plays an important role in study of various phenomena including projectile-target interaction for small caliber projectile. Present work reports design, development, and implementation of a multiple laser-based high-speed digital shadowgraphy system to study the behavior of a small caliber projectile in flight as well as the projectile-target interaction. System is based on Cranz–Schardin technique. Low power digitally modulated laser diodes along with low-resolution CMOS cameras in global shuttering mode are used to record good quality digital shadowgraphs. The system can record 11 shadowgraphs at a maximum frame rate of 1  million/s and is able to capture even minute details of fragments in the form of shockwaves. Operation of the system, image recording and analysis are fully computer controlled. The design and system description inclusive ultra-short pulse generator and opto-electronic triggering unit are presented and experimental results are discussed