cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stochastic epigenetic variation as a driving force of development, evolutionary adaptation, and disease

Neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory is based on exquisite selection of phenotypes caused by small genetic variations, which is the basis of quantitative trait contribution to phenotype and disease. Epigenetics is the study of nonsequence-based changes, such as DNA methylation, heritable during cell division. Previous attempts to incorporate epigenetics into evolutionary thinking have focused on Lamarckian inheritance, that is, environmentally directed epigenetic changes. Here, we propose a new non-Lamarckian theory for a role of epigenetics in evolution. We suggest that genetic variants that do not change the mean phenotype could change the variability of phenotype; and this could be mediated epigenetically. This inherited stochastic variation model would provide a mechanism to explain an epigenetic role of developmental biology in selectable phenotypic variation, as well as the largely unexplained heritable genetic variation underlying common complex disease. We provide two experimental results as proof of principle. The first result is direct evidence for stochastic epigenetic variation, identifying highly variably DNA-methylated regions in mouse and human liver and mouse brain, associated with development and morphogenesis. The second is a heritable genetic mechanism for variable methylation, namely the loss or gain of CpG dinucleotides over evolutionary time. Finally, we model genetically inherited stochastic variation in evolution, showing that it provides a powerful mechanism for evolutionary adaptation in changing environments that can be mediated epigenetically. These data suggest that genetically inherited propensity to phenotypic variability, even with no change in the mean phenotype, substantially increases fitness while increasing the disease susceptibility of a population with a changing environment.
Consumers’ Determination of Red Meat and Meat Products Purchase Behaviour – City of Ankara Sample

Nowadays, meat consuming level is an indicator of development of countries. The reason for this is the importance of animal proteins such as meat, milk and egg in human nutrition. People in Turkey do not get enough animal protein. Increase of meat and meat related product prices is effective on this. The purpose of this study is to bring up the purchase and consume behavior of consumers. Surveys completed in urban areas around city of Ankara are used primarily. Using Main Mass Ratio Based Simple Occurrence Probability Sampling method 338 families were interviewed. Completed surveys were separated into 3 groups; high, middle, low. As a result of the research, expense for food in total income is around %34. This ratio for families with low income is %53, for families with middle income is %35 and for families with high income is %33. It is found that as income levels of consumers raised, food expenses raise as well. But it shows that as income level increases, expense ratio for food decreases. Food reliability is the most effective factor on consumers’ decision of purchase. Studies show doubts of consumers about food reliability. It is understood that legal adjustments are not applied enough. Especially tight food inspections would be positive on consumer behavior.
In-Situ Observation of Microcracking in a Tial-Cr-V Alloy Under Compressive Stress

The entire process of microcrack nucleation in a TiAl-Cr-V alloy with different microstructures is observed in situ by a scanning electronic microscope (SEM) during compressive deformation. The main results are summarized as follows: (1) In the fully lamellar microstructure, the microcracks nucleate mainly at the lamellar grain boundaries between soft-orientation and hard-orientation grains. (2) In the Widmanstatten structure, the microcracks distribute mainly at the intersection between two Widmanstatten plates. (3) In the duplex structure, the microcracks form at the lamella/ lamella and lamella/gamma boundaries. (4) In the nearly gamma structure, microcracks nucleate at gamma/gamma grain boundaries.
Searching for new thermoelectrics in chemically and structurally complex bismuth chalcogenides

A solid state chemistry synthetic approach towards identifying new materials with potentially superior thermoelectric properties is presented. Materials with complex compositions and structures also have complex electronic structures which may give rise to high thermoelectric powers and at the same time possess low thermal conductivities. The structures and thermoelectric properties of several new promising compounds with K-Bi-Se, K-Bi-S, Ba-Bi- Te, Cs-Bi-Te, and Rb-Bi-Te are reported.
The Conservative Dilemma: Reflections on the Political Thought of Metternich.

The conservative in a revolutionary period always represents somewhat of an anomaly. Were society still cohesive, it would occur to no one to be a conservative for a serious alternative to the existing structure would be inconceivable. But a revolutionary period is a symptom precisely of the fact that the self-evidence of the goals of the social effort has disintegrated, that a significant segment of society holds values which either cannot or will not be assimilated. What had been taken for granted must now be defended and the act of defense introduces rigidity. The deeper the fissure, the more inflexible the contending positions and the greater the temptation to dogmatism. Were the “legitimate” structure still universally accepted, it would not be necessary to demonstrate its validity; but the act of defense exhibits the possibility of an alternative.Once the existing legitimacy has been challenged, no real discourse between the contenders is possible any longer, for they cease to speak the same language. It is not the adjustment of differences within a political system which is now at issue, but the political system itself.
Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics

Clinical pharmacology is an emerging science that is based on pharmacology but specifically deals with the clinical use of drugs in patient populations. Clinical pharmacology also illustrates the understanding of pharmacokinetics as applied to the clinical situations (clinical pharmacokinetics). The area of clinical pharmacology has expanded immensely in recent years with advances in genomics and an evolving understanding of key biomarkers. Biopharmaceutics, on the other hand, is a discipline that studies the disposition of a drug in the body based on the drug’s physicochemical properties and their interaction with the biological platform. Systematic investigation of the biopharmaceutical properties of a drug is essential to determine the proper route of administration and most suitable delivery system for the drug. With the adoption of the Biopharmaceutic Classification System for drugs over the past decade, we have now developed better strategies for development of formulations based on the solubility and permeability of the drugs. A newly developed paradigm, Biopharmaceutical Drug Disposition Classification System, has also integrated the physical concept of solubility and permeability to the effect of transporters and the predominate route of elimination of the drug. In the age of interdisciplinary sciences, it is prudent to integrate the clinical pharmacology and biopharmaceutics aspects to enable scientists to obtain a comprehensive profile of the physicochemical, biopharmaceutical and clinical principles, and the delivery potential and challenges of a drug. The open access principle brings forth rapid and free access to innovative research outcomes via this journal. To achieve this aim, we have brought together an excellent Editorial Board to advice on the latest trends in clinical and bench research in the area of Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics. We look forward to knowing your research findings and are committed to a high level of peer review of submitted manuscripts and prompt publication.
Current Trends in Molecular Microbiology

Throughout the past several years molecular pathology has played an increasingly important role in diagnosis and management of disease. Current molecular methods include genetic testing, epidemiologic studies, tissue typing, in situ hybridization, forensics, parentage testing, and detection, identification, and classification of microorganisms. Arguably the leading area for application of molecular methods has been in the diagnosis and monitoring of infectious diseases. Molecular techniques used in microbiological diagnosis include nucleic acid amplification techniques, DNA sequencing and typing, direct molecular probe techniques (in situ hybridization), and nucleic acid quantitation. Commercially available reagents, equipment, and test kits enable implementation of this technology in the clinical laboratory.
HOW MUCH DO THE NEW ATRIAL FIBRILLATION GUIDELINES AFFECT STROKE PREVENTION PRACTICE

The 2014 AHA/ACC/HRS guidelines for management of patients (pts) with atrial fibrillation (AF) recommend the CHA2DS2-VASc score over the CHADS2 score for stroke risk assessment. We compared the change in the number of pts requiring anticoagulation (AC) for stroke prevention based on the CHA2DS2-VASc
Characterization of GaN and Al0.35Ga0.65N/GaN Heterostructures by Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy

Scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM) technique operated in feedback mode has been used to characterize GaN (unintentionally n-type doped, n+ doped and semi-insulating), and Al 0.35Ga 0.65N/GaN heterostructures (with varying Al 0.35Ga 0.65N thickness) grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and molecular beam epitaxy. SKPM was used to measure the surface potential on these materials. The measurement technique was calibrated using metal calibration samples of Pt, Au, Ni and Al. The BSBH for n-doped GaN was measured to be 0.7 eV, which is in good agreement with values reported in the literature. Growth features such as dislocations present on the surfaces of III-nitrides were also investigated for their electrical properties using SKPM and non-contact mode atomic force microscopy, simultaneously. The dislocations have been found to be negatively charged for GaN as well as Al 0.35Ga 0.65N/GaN heterostructure samples.
Study&Development of Feeder Automation System Parameter Setting with Voltage-Time Type Sectionalizers And Fault Treatment Simulation Software

To visually demonstrate the application of feeder automation based on mutual coordination of recloser with voltage-time type sectionalizer and research the parameter setting of such feeder automation system,the whole process operation for fault is simulated and Criterion of each switch is proposed for current operation mode.The tripping of the power is taken as the count start condition when fault occurs,and all switches are been traversaled in each time section,the action of each switch is determined according to the judging conditions in the moment.A fault simulation software based on VC++6.0 is developed and the software process is given.The fault handling strategy is previewed when any line instantaneous or permanent faults occurs.The example is given to illustrate the software.
An Attempt to Understand and to Treat Voiding Dysfunctions During Rehabilitation of the Bladder in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

AbstractAn attempt to understand and treat voiding dysfunctions during bladder rehabilitation in 150 spinal cord injury patients is presented. The 25 problem patients were further analyzed to identify and manage the dysfunctional bladder and bladder neck, dyssenergic pelvic floor, vesicoureteral reflux, areflexic detrusor muscle and also to discontinue prolonged intermittent catheterization. The initial excellent results with a modified approach to sphincterotomy and the bladder neck operation in 15 patients are presented. Early recognition of patients in whom intermittent catheterization may not be successful will allow one to intervene and establish an early catheter-free status. A new concept of the existence of receptors in the posterior urethra has been postulated.
Historicizing Hypertext and Web 2.0: Access, Governmentality and Cyborgs

This article attempts to analyze the relation between individual, the machinic systems and capitalist ideology that gets more consolidated with the digital by looking closely at the ways in which the human–machine relation gets standardized through the ‘stabilization’ of technology in what is referred to as Web 2.0. Considering certain aspects of print culture that led to what Foucault refers to as the ‘principles of exclusion’—the way in which discourses delimit itself—the larger cultural economies that involved the production and manipulation of symbols in web is critically re-examined. The print-informed relation of individual and text finds its contemporary ramifications in our understanding and usage of hypertext as HTML. The article traces the crucial stages during the establishment of World Wide Web at the turn of the century and affects the question ‘What is a blogger’ in the same vein that the question ‘What is an Author’ was asked to trace the role that weblog format played in the constitution o...
In the Field and In the Stream: California Reasonable Use Law Applied to Water for Agriculture

III. “IN THE FIELD” AND “IN THE STREAM” 91 A. Water “in the Field” and California Reasonable Use Law 91 1. Tulare and Flood Irrigation 91 2. Erickson and Evaporation Losses 92 3. IID, Canal Spills and Excess Tailwater 93 B. Water “in the Stream” and California Reasonable Use Law 94 1. The Racanelli Decision, Salinity, and Seawater Intrusion 94 2. EDF and Alternate Points of Diversion 95 3. Frost Protection Diversions and Stream Flow 96 a. Forni 96 b. Light 97
A disagreement-based active matrix completion approach with provable guarantee

Active matrix completion (AMC) is an effective approach to improve the performance of matrix completion. It actively acquires certain missing entries of a target matrix, with the aim of quickly improving the completion accuracy of the rest. Although this topic is attracting an increasing attention, all existing solutions are heuristic. In this paper, we propose a new active matrix completion approach called Factor-Disagreed AMC (FDAMC), with provably performance guarantee. It is an extension of the popular disagreement-based active statistical learning to the matrix completion task, at both methodological and theoretical levels. Specifically, FDAMC learns two factorization models to complete the matrix, and acquires those missing entries disagreed by the two models in the completion. By employing and modifying the PAC theory, we prove the sample complexity of this approach. A FDAMC algorithm is also presented, with some heuristics included. Finally, we present proof-of-concept experiments and demonstrate the effectiveness of FDAMC on both synthetic and real-world data sets.
‘Edison’s Telephonoscope’: the visual telephone and the satire of electric light mania

AbstractFor the past 30 years, media historians have consistently interpreted George Du Maurier’s ‘Edison’s Telephonoscope’ (Punch, 1878) as a depiction of television. Scholars treat the illustration as a literary document conveying an image of what Victorians thought television one day might become. But this interpretation is incomplete because it neglects the multiplicity of frames of reference readers bring to the image. Leafing through the December 9 issue of Punch in context strikes the reader with a very different impression of the ‘Telephonoscope.’ Du Maurier’s title resonated with readers, who would have recognised the distance-hearing-and-speaking device not as a visual telephone but in connection with the much-ridiculed ‘ear telescope,’ or megaphone, that Edison had tried to promote earlier in the year. Other memorable caricatures, including the ‘Museum of Modern Invention’ and ‘Edison’s Anti-Gravity Underclothing,’ appeared on adjacent pages to ‘Edison’s Telephonoscope.’ Punch’s cartoon could b...
Tungsten Diselenide Patterning and Nanoribbon Formation by Gas-Assisted Focused-Helium-Ion-Beam-Induced Etching

A gas-assisted focused-helium-ion beam-induced etching (FIBIE) process is introduced, which accelerates direct-write patterning of WSe2 relative to standard ion milling. The etching process utilizes the XeF2 precursor molecule to provide a chemical assist for enhanced material removal relative to ion sputtering. The FIBIE process enables high-fidelity patterning of WSe2 with doses 5× lower than standard He+ milling. This enables the formation of high-resolution WSe2 nanoribbons with dimensions less than 10 nm. The WSe2 nanoribbons demonstrate high Raman anisotropy and nanoribbon electrical measurements are reported for the first time. The normalized on-currents of field-effect transistors reveal that the electron and hole currents are both suppressed and scale with the nanoribbon width, with the electron transport experiencing more degradation. However, on-currents of nanoribbons created by the FIBIE process remain orders of magnitude greater than nanoribbons formed by standard He+ milling. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and complementary Monte Carlo ion–solid simulations reveal that the reduced currents are partially due to ion-induced damage in the WSe2.
Energy harvesting from arterial blood pressure for powering embedded micro sensors in human brain

This manuscript investigates energy harvesting from arterial blood pressure via the piezoelectric effect for the purpose of powering embedded micro-sensors in the human brain. One of the major hurdles in recording and measuring electrical data in the human nervous system is the lack of implantable and long term interfaces that record neural activity for extended periods of time. Recently, some authors have proposed micro sensors implanted deep in the brain that measure local electrical and physiological data which are then communicated to an external interrogator. This paper proposes a way of powering such interfaces. The geometry of the proposed harvester consists of a piezoelectric, circular, curved bimorph that fits into the blood vessel (specifically, the Carotid artery) and undergoes bending motion because of blood pressure variation. In addition, the harvester thickness is constrained such that it does not modify arterial wall dynamics. This transforms the problem into a known strain problem and the integral form of Gauss's law is used to obtain an equation relating arterial wall motion to the induced voltage. The theoretical model is validated by means of a Multiphysics 3D-FEA simulation comparing the harvested power at different load resistances. The peak harvested power achieved for the Carotid artery (proximal to Brain), with PZT-5H, was 11.7 μW. The peak power for the Aorta was 203.4 μW. Further, the variation of harvested power with variation in the harvester width and thickness, arterial contractility, and pulse rate is investigated. Moreover, potential application of the harvester as a chronic, implantable and real-time Blood pressure sensor is considered. Energy harvested via this mechanism will also have applications in long-term, implantable Brain Micro-stimulation.
Experts at Work: Principles for Developing Expertise in Organizations

A recent report by the National Academies’ Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (COSEPUP; 2006) documented a stark state of affairs for U.S.-based companies. In short, there are many challenges facing the competitiveness of the United States and its world leadership position in the realm of science and technology stemming from a national inadequacy in the development of prospective employees. The COSEPUP report concluded that there is an erosion of expertise in mathematics, science, and engineering that threatens the long-term position of the United States in the world economy. This erosion of knowledge and skills is caused by losses of expertise through the retirement of experienced employees as well as insufficient development of replacements for the wealth of expertise exiting the workforce. This trend has immediate, not distant, consequences. Bill Gates openly commented on the lack of available applicants with adequate training to fill positions in the United States: “The jobs are there, and they are good-paying jobs, but we don’t have the same pipeline” (Gates, cited in Vise, 2005, p. E05). The COSEPUP report recommended changes in federal government policies to correct this trend of declining expertise on a national level.
The Emerging IS Global Profession: Accreditation - The Quality Assurance Dimension

As the global economy has expanded, the demand for quality information systems (IS) people increased globally. Ascertaining the quality of education in IS programs at colleges located within and outside the boundaries of the USA has become increasingly important to employers, students and the public. Accreditation is the quality assurance dimension of IS. IS accreditation is a reality in the USA and “Substantial Equivalency” status is available to computing programs outside the United States now that CSAB has joined ABET. What is the status of IS accreditation? What is “Substantial Equivalency”? How can “Substantial Equivalency” be available to programs outside the USA? What constitutes an accredited program? Who benefits from accreditation? What are the criteria for accrediting information systems programs? This paper addresses these and other accreditation issues and questions.
Empire and Political Cultures in the Roman World

This book evaluates a hundred years of scholarship on how empire transformed the Roman world, and advances a new theory of how the empire worked and was experienced. It engages extensively with Rome's Republican empire as well as the 'Empire of the Caesars', examines a broad range of ancient evidence (material, documentary, and literary) that illuminates multiple perspectives, and emphasizes the much longer history of imperial rule within which the Roman Empire emerged. Steering a course between overemphasis on resistance and overemphasis on consensus, it highlights the political, social, religious and cultural consequences of an imperial system within which functions of state were substantially delegated to, or more often simply assumed by, local agencies and institutions. The book is accessible and of value to a wide range of undergraduate and graduate students as well as of interest to all scholars concerned with the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.
Effective Contraception Use by Usual Source of Care: An Opportunity for Prevention.

Abstract Introduction Women using emergency departments (ED) or urgent care facilities for their usual care may lack access to contraception. This study examined the relationship between effectiveness of current contraception use (highly effective/effective methods vs. less effective/no method) and usual source of care in the clinic (referent group), urgent care, ED, or none among U.S. reproductive-aged females at risk for unintended pregnancy. Methods Using the National Survey of Family Growth, we conducted logistic regression analyses using pooled, as well as age- and insurance-stratified, data. Results Less effective/no contraception was associated with ED (odds ratio [OR] = 1.9 [95% CI = 1.3, 3]) and no usual source of care (OR = 1.5 [95% CI = 1.3, 1.8]) in the unadjusted logistic regression. Adjusting for confounders, no usual care source was marginally associated with less effective/no contraception use (OR = 1.2 [95% CI = 1.0, 1.4]; p = .041). Adjusted age- and insurance-stratified analyses revealed that less effective/no contraception was associated with the following: no usual care source for 15 to 19-year-olds (OR = 2.5, [95% CI = 1.5, 4.1]); ED usual care source for 20 to 25-year-olds (OR = 2.2, [95% CI = 1.0, 4.5]; p = .038); ED usual care source for Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program-insured (OR = 2.0, [95% CI = 1.0, 3.7]; p = .042); and ED usual care source for any publicly-funded insurance (adjusted OR = 2.1, [95% CI = 1.1, 3.8]). Conclusion Overall, use of less effective/no contraception did not vary substantially by usual source of care. Stratified analyses showed some groups of women with ED usual source of care (20 to 25-year-olds, Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program insurance, or any publicly-funded insurance) and no usual care source (15 to 19-year-olds) had higher odds of using less effective/no contraception.
Core Outcome Sets for Psoriasis Clinical Trials: Definition, Consensus, and Acceptance.

Standardized and relevant psoriasis-specific outcome measures would contribute to a better understanding of the benefits of a growing list of highly effective therapies. To this end, in this issue of JAMA Dermatology, Callis Duffin et al1 present the results of an effort to define core outcome sets (COSs) for clinical trials of psoriasis. Under the auspices of the International Dermatology Outcome Measures group, the authors conducted a Delphi survey and determined that the following 6 domains should be addressed in all psoriasis trials: (1) psoriatic skin manifestations (including location), (2) an investigator global assessment, (3) an evaluation of signs and symptoms of both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, (4) a patient global assessment of his or her condition, (5) an assessment of treatment satisfaction, and (6) a measure of health-related quality of life.
Infant Era mid 1970s to 1990

Anyone reading this chapter who is less than 45 years old will never have worked in pediatric cardiology before the “infant era,” starting in the mid 1970’s. We have now reached modern times, and being so close to the era makes it more difficult to assess the value of each individual contribution. This era is the topic of an increasing number of excellent textbooks on pediatric cardiology, childhood heart surgery, pediatric arrhythmias and Doppler echocardiography. Several texts deal solely with fetal and neonatal heart disease and with infant heart surgery Those wishing to learn more of modern times in childhood heart disease certainly have no dearth of reading material. In this chapter the references are chiefly to papers and books which allow for further study of current knowledge. Future generations will have to decide if the infant era marked a “Renaissance” period for pediatric cardiology.
Immune Cell-Derived Free Radicals in Acute Brain Injury

Oxidative stress, which generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays an important role after acute brain injuries, including transient cerebral ischemia. Brain injuries like ischemic–reperfusion result in a surge of excess oxygen that leads to generation of free radicals. Free radicals are present at low levels in the normal state where they play a critical role in signaling pathways. Antioxidants help in maintaining the redox level in the cells, but during an insult this homeostasis is disturbed resulting in excessive ROS. Mitochondrial ROS are among the main intracellular ROS. Cerebral ischemia triggers inflammation in response to injury, which also leads to the generation of free radicals and eventually to neuronal cell death. Studies using genetically manipulated animals where antioxidant genes are overexpressed or knocked down show the key role that ROS play in ischemia. Oxidative stress affects the injured area in a multifaceted way. It activates apoptotic markers, inflammatory mediators including cytokines and chemokines, and transcriptional activators. Therefore, it has a significant function in cell death and survival signaling cascades. Several recent reports have demonstrated the various effects of ROS generation and its link to the inflammatory response after ischemia. In this chapter, we present an overview of these mechanisms that have been elucidated, focusing on the damaging effects of ROS and their crucial role in inflammation after stroke.
Noncontact Strain Mapping Using Laser-Induced Fluorescence from Nanotube-Based Smart Skin

AbstractStress fields around structural discontinuities such as cracks usually cause complex but distinct strain contours/maps when structures are subjected to load. Hence, mechanical strain on str...
“Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness”: A Theological Reflection on the Solid Waste Problem in Ghana

This chapter sets out to explore how the faith community in Ghana can be better involved in addressing solid waste management in the country. In Ghana, most of the principal streets are filled with heaps of trash, principally polythene products. The drains are choked with uncollected garbage causing flooding. The government spends huge sums of money on waste management due to the inhabitants’ poor attitude towards waste generation. The aim of chapter is to build a theology of stewardship by proposing advocacy for change of attitude toward God’s creation, commitment to purposeful solid waste management strategies, and confronting weaker systems that obstruct solid waste management as three practical ways the church in Ghana can help in dealing with the state’s solid waste problem.
Effects of rate and amount of propionic acid infused into the rumen on feeding behavior of Holstein cows in the postpartum period.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine the effects of 2 amounts of propionic acid (PA) infused intraruminally at 2 rates of infusion at the initiation of meals on the feeding behavior of Holstein cows in the postpartum period. We hypothesized that the amount and length of time of infusions would interact to affect feeding behavior: rapid infusion of a higher dose of PA would result in larger meal size with greater time between meals compared with a slower rate, whereas faster infusion of a lower dose of PA would reduce meal size and the time between meals compared with a slower infusion of the same dose. Eight ruminally cannulated, multiparous Holstein cows were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment. Cows were blocked by parturition date and randomly assigned to treatment sequence within square. Treatments were infusion of 2.5 L of 0.5 M (HI) or 0.2 M (LO) solutions of PA at initiation of meals over 5 min (FST) or 15 min (SLW) for 12 h following feed delivery. Contrary to our hypothesis, no interaction between amount and rate of infusion was detected for any feeding behavior parameter measured. The FST treatments did not affect dry matter intake or metabolizable energy intake compared with SLW. The FST treatments tended to increase meal length compared with SLW (28.1 vs. 22.7) but did not affect meal size. The FST treatments tended to decrease total eating time (108 vs. 122 min/12 h) but did not affect meal frequency compared with SLW. The HI treatments decreased dry matter intake (7.4 vs. 11.5 kg/12 h) and total metabolizable energy intake (22.5 vs. 29.1 Mcal/12 h) compared with LO by decreasing meal frequency (5.8 vs. 7.5 meals/12 h). The HI treatments decreased eating time (103 vs. 127 min/12 h) compared with LO but did not affect meal size. Further research is warranted on the effects of the temporal supply of propionate on propionate metabolism and feeding behavior.
Fluoroethylene Carbonate Breakdown Mechanisms and Energetics on Two Lithium Silicide Surfaces

Lithium-ion batteries are a leading energy storage technology. One challenge with lithium-ion batteries is the reductive decomposition of electrolyte on the surface, forming a passivating, solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI). The SEI prevents further electrolyte breakdown and consumption, but if not formed properly, may also consume lithium ions and prevent lithium-ion diffusion to the anode. Fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) is currently one of the best electrolyte additives used to form a more robust SEI on silicon anodes. Herein, we use density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the spontaneous breakdown mechanisms, energies, and charge transfers of FEC on the surface of a silicon anode in a lesser lithiated LiSi and a more lithiated Li15Si4 state. The reductive decomposition of FEC on LiSi and Li15Si4 to F, CO2, and CH2CHO is energetically most favorable on both surfaces, but F, CO, and OCH2CHO can also be formed. The breakdown of FEC via either of the breakdown mechanisms is about 2 times more favora...
The New Advertisers: How Foundation Funding Impacts Journalism

Many journalism stakeholders have begun looking to philanthropic foundations to help newsrooms find economic sustainability. The rapidly expanding role of foundations as a revenue source for news publishers raises an important question: How do foundations exercise their influence over the newsrooms they fund? Using the hierarchy of influence model, this study utilizes more than 40 interviews with journalists at digitally native nonprofit news organizations and employees from foundations that fund nonprofit journalism to better understand the impact of foundation funding on journalistic practice. Drawing on previous scholarship exploring extra-media influence on the news industry, we argue that the impact of foundations on journalism parallels that of advertisers throughout the 20th century—with one important distinction: Journalism practitioners and researchers have long forbidden the influence from advertisers on editorial decisions, seeing the blurring of the two as inherently unethical. Outside funding from foundations, on the other hand, is often premised on editorial influence, complicating efforts by journalists to maintain the firewall between news revenue and production.
Continuous flow system for biofilm formation using controlled concentrations of Pseudomonas putida from chicken carcass and coupled to electrochemical impedance detection

Most studies dealing with monitoring the dynamics of biofilm formation use microbial suspensions at high concentrations. These conditions do not always represent food or water distribution systems. A continuous flow system capable of controlling the concentration of the microbial suspension stream from 104 to 106 CFU ml-1 is reported. Pseudomonas putida biofilms formed using 100-fold, 1,000-fold or 10,000-fold diluted bacterial suspensions were monitored in-line by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and total plate counts. Randles equivalent circuit model and a modified Randles model with biofilm elements were used to fit the EIS data. In Randles equivalent circuit, the charge transfer resistance decreased as the biofilm formed. The log colony counts of the biofilm correlated to the charge transfer resistance. In the biofilm model, the biofilm resistance and the double layer capacitance decreased as the biofilm formed. The log colony counts of the biofilm correlated to the biofilm resistance.
Tracking somatic drift reveals small effective population size of stem cells and high somatic mutation rate in asexual planaria

Abstract Planarian flatworms have emerged as highly promising models of body regeneration due to the many stem cells scattered through their bodies. Currently, there is no consensus as to the number of stem cells active in each cycle of regeneration or the equality of their relative contributions. We approached this problem with a population genetic model of genetic drift. We modeled the fissiparous life cycle of asexual planarians as an asexual population of cells that goes through repeated events of splitting into two subpopulations followed by population growth to restore the original size. We sampled a pedigree of obligate asexual clones of Girardia cf. tigrina at multiple time points encompassing 14 generations. Effective population size of stem cells was inferred from the magnitude of temporal fluctuations in the frequency of somatic variants and under most of the examined scenarios was estimated to be in the range of a few hundreds. Average genomic nucleotide diversity was 0.00398. Assuming neutral evolution, the somatic mutation rate was estimated in the 10−5 − 10−7 range. The surprisingly small effective number of propagating stem cells might contribute to reducing reproductive conflicts in clonal organisms.
Complete genome reconstruction and genetic analysis of Taura syndrome virus of shrimp from archival Davidson's-fixed paraffin embedded tissue.

Abstract Davidson's-fixed paraffin-embedded (DFPE) shrimp tissue are a priceless biological resource for pathogen discovery and evolutionary studies for aquaculture disease diagnostic laboratories worldwide. Nucleic acids extracted from DFPE tissues are often not adequate for most downstream molecular analysis due to fragmentation and chemical modifications. In this study, next generation sequencing (NGS) was used to reconstruct the complete genome of three geographical isolates (Belize, Venezuela and Hawaii) of a ~10 kb length RNA virus of shrimp, Taura syndrome virus (TSV), from DFPE tissues that have been archived for 15 years. Phylogenetic analyses showed that TSV isolates from Belize, Venezuela and Hawaii formed well supported clusters with homologous isolates from the corresponding regions submitted in the GenBank database. This is the first study to demonstrate the utility of archived tissue samples for identification of RNA viruses and evolutionary studies involving a viral disease in crustaceans and opens an avenue for expediting pathogen discovery.
Narrative Analysis of Runway Incursion Reports in the National Transportation Safety Board Database To Identify Contributing

A runway incursion occurs when an aircraft, ground vehicle, or a pedestrian is incorrectly present on the runway. This incorrect presence can lead to a collision resulting in fatal injuries and air...
Postpartum Transition of Care: Racial/Ethnic Gaps in Veterans' Re-Engagement in VA Primary Care after Pregnancy.

Abstract Introduction Pregnancy presents an opportunity to engage veterans in health care. Guidelines recommend primary care follow-up in the year postpartum, but loss to follow-up is common, poorly quantified, and especially important for those with gestational diabetes (GDM) and hypertension. Racial maternal inequities are well-documented and might be exacerbated by differential postpartum care. This study explores variation in postpartum re-engagement in U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs health care system (VA) primary care to identify potential racial/ethnic inequities in this care transition. Methods We conducted a complete case analysis of the 2005–2014 national VA birth cohort (n = 18,414), and subcohorts of veterans with GDM (n = 1,253), and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP; n = 2,052) using VA-reimbursed discharge claims and outpatient data. Outcomes included incidence of any VA primary care visit in the postpartum year; in age-adjusted logistic regression, we explored race/ethnicity as a primary predictor. Results In the year after a VA-covered birth, the proportion of veterans with one or more primary care visit was 53.8% overall, and slightly higher in the GDM (56.0%) and HDP (57.4%) subcohorts. In adjusted models, the odds of VA primary care follow-up were significantly lower for Black/African American (odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.81–0.93), Asian (odds ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.61–0.95), and Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.55–0.96) veterans, compared with White veterans. Among the subcohorts with GDM or HDP, there were no significant associations between primary care and race/ethnicity. Conclusions One-half of veterans re-engage in VA primary care after childbirth, with significant racial differences in this care transition. Re-engagement for those with the common pregnancy complications of HDP and GDM is only slightly higher, and less than 60%. The potential for innovations like VA maternity care coordinators to address such gaps merits attention.
Creating Spatiotemporal Semantic Maps from Web Text Documents

Rapid proliferation of computer technologies contributes to the availability of text information to the public through articles, daily news reports, blogs, and twitter messages on the web. These text documents include spatiotemporal information about dynamic events, including, for example, severe storms, wildfires, and the movements of individuals and groups. Developing methods to systematically represent the movement of dynamic entities such as severe storms and their associated spatiotemporal behaviors is important for next generation information system design where details extracted automatically from text can be presented to users for their own domain applications. This research discusses methods for combining natural language processing techniques and ontologies to improve the extraction of semantics of hazard-related events sourced from web texts. In this research, a hazard ontology and semantic gazetteer are invoked to support semantic representation of extracted events from web news reports. In this work, not only are spatiotemporal information automatically represented and tracked over space-time, but event semantics are also automatically processed to add meaning to the information mapped from documents.
Resonance Raman spectra of α-diimine complexes—II: Complexes with multiple electronic bands in the visible region

Abstract The resonance Raman spectra of [Fe(PMAAE)2](ClO4)2, [Os(bipy)2Cl2], [Os(bipy)2Br2] and [Fe(bipy)2Cl2] have been measured along with their excitation profiles. The latter have been used to differentiate between vibronic and pure electronic transitions.
Separation of Different Conformations of Plant Mitochondrial DNA Molecules by Field Inversion Gel Electrophoresis

Mitochondrial (mt) DNA structure in higher plants is still unclear as to the circularity or linearity of the genome. We have developed a system to electrophoretically separate distinct populations of mtDNA, with some populations enriched for networked linear and circular DNA molecules. Using field inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE) and electron microscopy (EM), we have identified four distinct populations of mtDNA from two Brassica species. Using FIGE, two slow migrating mtDNA populations ran faster than a 66 kbp Escherichia coli circular plasmid marker, while these same populations comigrated in the compression zone in contour-clamped homogeneous electrophoretic field (CHEF) gels. A fast-migrating mtDNA population was also resolved by FIGE as a diffuse band between 20 to 70 kbp when compared with linear lambda (λ) markers. FIGE resolved the 66 kbp circular marker into several multimers, while CHEF resolved only open-circular monomers and linears. In agreement with FIGE results, EM analysis indicated the two slow migrating mtDNA populations contained circular (both supercoiled and relaxed circles) and free linear molecules of 10-60 kbp, and networked linear molecules of 45–140 kbp total size that may represent recombination intermediates. The fast migrating population consisted of 10–50 kbp linear molecules. Well-bound mtDNA showed only long linear molecules of 40–150 kbp with no detection of circles or complex/rosette molecules. This report shows that FIGE has clear advantages over CHEF for separating large DNA molecules with different conformations, and may be very useful for studies to characterize genome structure in complex systems such as plant mitochondria.
Intellectual Usufructs: Trade Secrets, Hot News, and the Usufructuary Paradigm at Common Law

Contemporary American intellectual property (“IP”) scholarship assumes trade secrets and hot news are not property rights because neither field entitles claimants to rights to exclude. This Chapter challenges that conventional wisdom on two grounds. The first is conceptual. Doctrinally, “property” encompasses not only trespassory and exclusionary rights - like rights in land - but also usufructs - like riparian rights. Conceptually, rights in land and river flow both count as property because property consists not of a right to exclude but rather a right to determine exclusively the use of an external asset. Trade secrets and hot-news rights also fit that definition - as usufructs in IP corresponding to riparian rights in real property. The other ground is historical. Seminal American authorities relied on the concept of the IP usufruct as described in this Chapter to describe and justify trade secrecy and hot-news doctrine as both emerged in nineteenth-century American common law. The Chapter illustrates by interpreting Chancellor James Kent’s treatment of trade secrecy in his Commentaries on American Law, the Massachusetts Supreme Court trade secrecy decision Peabody v. Kidd (1868); an early hot-news decision, Kiernan v. Manhattan Quotation Tel. Co. (N.Y. Supr. 1876); and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision recognizing hot-news interests in International News Service v. Associated Press (1918).
Breaking Down Link Rot: The Chesapeake Project Legal Information Archive's Examination of URL Stability

Ms. Rhodes explores URL stability, measured by the prevalence of link rot over a three-year period, among the original URLs for law- and policy-related materials published to the web and archived though the Chesapeake Project, a collaborative digital preservation initiative under way in the law library community. The results demonstrate a significant increase in link rot over time in materials originally published to seemingly stable organization, government, and state web sites.
Conceptualizing Interprofessional Teams as Multi-Team Systems—Implications for Assessment and Training

SGEA 2015 CONFERENCE ABSTRACT (EDITED) Evaluating Interprofessional Teamwork During a Large-Scale Simulation Courtney West, Karen Landry, Anna Graham, and Lori Graham. Construct: This study investigated the multidimensional measurement of interprofessional (IPE) teamwork as part of large-scale simulation training. Background: Healthcare team function has a direct impact on patient safety and quality of care. However, IPE team training has not been the norm. Recognizing the importance of developing team-based collaborative care, our College of Nursing implemented an IPE simulation activity called Disaster Day and invited other professions to participate. The exercise consists of two sessions: one in the morning and another in the afternoon. The disaster scenario is announced just prior to each session, which consists of team building, a 90-minute simulation, and debriefing. Approximately 300 Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy, Emergency Medical Technicians, and Radiology students and over 500 standardized and vol...
Career placement of doctor of pharmacy graduates at eight U.S. Midwestern schools

Objective. To characterize postgraduation placement plans of 2013 doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) graduates. Methods. A cross-sectional survey of PharmD graduates from 8 midwestern colleges of pharmacy was designed to capture a comprehensive picture of graduating students’ experiences and outcomes of their job search. Results. At graduation, 81% of 2013 respondents had postgraduate plans, with approximately 40% accepting jobs and 40% accepting residencies or fellowships. Eighty-four percent of graduates reported being pleased with offers received, and 86% received placement in their preferred practice setting. Students perceived that securing residencies was more difficult than securing jobs. Students who participated in key activities had a nearly sevenfold increase in successful residency placement. Conclusion. While the demand for pharmacists decreased in recent years, responses indicated successful placement by the majority of 2013 graduates at the time of graduation.
TED-Turbine Engine Diagnostics: an expert diagnostic system for the M1 Abrams AGT1500 turbine engine

TED (Turbine Engine Diagnostics) is a diagnostic expert system to aid the M1 Abrams' mechanic find and fix problems in the AGT1500 turbine engine. TED was designed and built by the US Army Research Laboratory and the US Army Ordnance Center. Limited fielding was begun in July 1994 to selected National Guard Units, with eventual fielding to 28 National Guard units. Active units of the US Army will receive TED in January 1996. Several foreign countries are expected to use TED for their M1 tank maintenance. TED was designed to provide the apprentice mechanic the ability to diagnose and repair the turbine engine like an expert mechanic. The US Army Ordnance center has estimated that TED will save over $8 million annually by enhancing the M1 mechanic's diagnostic capabilities. >