cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of diphtheria immunization

Summary 1. Three injections of toxin-antitoxin mixture given in 1 c.c. doses at weekly intervals renders immune at the end of six months about 70 per cent of children and less than this of adults. Four doses of 1 c.c. each given at weekly intervals probably immunizes about 80 to 90 per cent of children. Five doses of 1 c.c. each at weekly intervals immunizes about 85 per cent of adults. 2. Toxin-antitoxin properly underneutralized and stored gives practically no local or general reactions. 3. Toxin-antitoxin mixture is capable of sensitizing individuals to horse serum. 4. The substitution of sheep or goat serum for horse serum in the preparation of toxin-antitoxin mixture has been done. The percentage immunization with this is about the same as with the horse serum toxin-antitoxin. 5. One series of toxin-antitoxin injections does not endanger the individual to later injections of toxin-antitoxin inasmuch as the total amount of horse serum in 1 c.c. of mixture is not sufficient to produce shock even if hypersensitive to horse serum. 6. Immunization with toxoid by any method of 2 or more injections of 1 c.c. each produces 90 to 100 per cent immunity in three to six months. 7. Reactions in older children and adults are the chief objections to the use of toxoid as an immunizing agent. 8. Duration of immunity whether naturally or artificially produced is good. It is apparently more lasting if immunization is done in childhood than in adult life. There is some evidence that the individuals more resistant to immunization revert to the Schick positive state more readily. 9. The Schick test, properly carried out, is a reliable indication of immunity to diphtheria and should be considered part of the immunization procedure. 10. Individuals Schick positive in spite of the routine immunization procedure can and have contracted diphtheria. 11. A standardization of methods of immunization is desirable. 12. The ideals still to be reached are (a) an agent that gives no reactions in any age group; (b) an agent that immunizes close to 100 per cent; (c) a simpler method less subject to error for testing for immunity.
A Layered Alumina Composite Tested at High Temperature in Air

An oxidation-resistant interphase for layered alumina composites was prepared by aerosol spray deposition of submicrometer alumina powder. A model composite specimen was made by placing the interphase between thin layers of monolithic alumina. The composite sandwich was hot-pressed to control the interphase fracture resistance for successful crack deflection. Specimens were tested under four-point bending in air at two crosshead speeds at ambient temperature, 1000°C, and 1200°C. The fracture behavior was temperature dependent, with a higher work of fracture at higher temperatures. Interphase delamination and composite toughening behavior were very pronounced at all temperatures. At the highest temperature, the transition to multiple widely distributed cracks and increased crack deflection may be related to inelastic deformation in the alumina.
All Animals Are Equal, or Are They? The Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʾ’s Animal Epistle and its Unhappy End

The Ikhwān al-Ṣafāʾ’s animal epistle is an intriguing work. Although in the body of the narrative the authors challenge anthropocentric preconceptions and present nonhuman animals in a more favourable light than human beings, inexplicably, the narrative ends by reconfirming the privileged status of humans. The aim of this paper is to propose an explanation for this discrepancy. I argue that the egalitarian message reflected in the body of the narrative is traceable back to the Qur'an, the main text with which the authors engage in the fable, whereas the final outcome is due to the Ikhwān's hierarchical worldview.
Local structure of pseudobinary semiconductor alloys: An x-ray absorption fine structure study

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) has been used to investigate the local bonding structure in several pseudobinary semiconductor alloy systems,(A1-xBx)C. Both cation- and anion-substituted pseudobinary alloys with x ranging from 0 to 1 were studied. It is found that the first neighbor cation-anion distance remains closer to that in the pure binary compound than to that of the average or virtual crystal distance, determined from the lattice constant, despite a large difference between the two. Some change in bond length with composition, however, does occur, but it corresponds to only 20–25% of the change predicted in the virtual crystal approximation. These results agree well with the predictions of recent theories. The second-neighbor structural results indicate that these alloys are solid solutions with negligible clustering. Also these bulk samples prepared at high temperatures have occupation of the mixed sublattice that is consistent with that of a random distribution. This differs from the ordered distributions observed for samples grown under special conditions.
Deciphering a transcriptional regulatory code: modeling short-range repression in the Drosophila embryo

Systems biology seeks a genomic-level interpretation of transcriptional regulatory information represented by patterns of protein-binding sites. Obtaining this information without direct experimentation is challenging; minor alterations in binding sites can have profound effects on gene expression, and underlie important aspects of disease and evolution. Quantitative modeling offers an alternative path to develop a global understanding of the transcriptional regulatory code. Recent studies have focused on endogenous regulatory sequences; however, distinct enhancers differ in many features, making it difficult to generalize to othercis-regulatory elements. We applied a systematic approach to simpler elements and present here the first quantitative analysis of shortrange transcriptional repressors, which have central functions in metazoan development. Our fractional occupancy-based modeling uncovered unexpected features of these proteins’ activity that
Degradation of resolution in a homogeneous dual-readout hadronic calorimeter

Abstract If the scintillator response to a hadronic shower in a semi-infinite uniform calorimeter structure is S relative to the electronic response, then S / E = [ f em + ( 1 − f em ) ( h / e ) ] , where E is the incident hadron energy, f em is the electronic shower fraction, and h / e is the hadron/electron response ratio. If there is also a simultaneous readout with a different h / e , say a Cherenkov signal C, then a linear combination of the two signals provides an estimator of E that is proportional to the incident energy and whose distribution is nearly Gaussian—even though the S and C distributions are non-linear in E, wide, and skewed. Since an estimator of f em is also obtained, it is no longer a stochastic variable. Much of the remaining resolution variance is due to sampling fluctuations. These can be avoided in a homogeneous calorimeter. The energy resolution depends upon the contrast in h / e between the two channels. h / e is small in the Cherenkov channel. Mechanisms that increase h / e in sampling calorimeters with organic scintillator readout are not available in a homogeneous inorganic scintillator calorimeter. The h / e contrast is very likely too small to provide the needed energy resolution.
PHASER: Physiological Health Assessment System for emergency responders

Despite significant advances in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and enhanced tactics, line of duty deaths (LODD) and injuries due to cardiovascular events in the emergency responder community, specifically fire service, remain at an unacceptably high level each year. To address the tragic loss of life and often debilitating injuries that are too prevalent in the fire service, the Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate, has created a Physiological Health Assessment System for Emergency Responders (PHASER) program. PHASER is charged to develop and deploy innovative technology solutions based on the fundamental medical understanding of risk factors to enhance health and safety of emergency responders. One of the outcomes of the program is a low-cost secure networked system — PHASER-Net — capable of remote physiological monitoring, risk profiling, risk mitigation and guidance of the individual emergency responders. The PHASER-Net system has been deployed at multiple fire departments across the country, as well as academic research laboratories for validation, testing and enhancement. From the days of initial deployments, the system proved vital by identifying individuals with high risk of cardiovascular events and providing targeted training guidance for risk mitigation and prevention.
Intrusion Detection in Controlled Discrete Event Systems

The constituent controllers in a supervisory control system may sometimes fail as a result of an intruder interfering with the feedback performance of the system. The intrusion may allow the system to execute traces that the supervisor wishes to prevent from occurring. We derive conditions under which a supervisor can detect the presence of an intruder in time to prevent the execution of an illegal trace. In situations where it is not possible to block all illegal strings, we use a language measure method to assess the damage caused by a particular set of controllers failing. We also use the language measure technique to determine the optimal behavior of the controlled system in the presence of an intrusion.
ALMA: HI and He^+ Lines and Dust in Starbursts, AGN and High-z Galaxies

We describe preliminary results for two ALMA projects – 1) imaging the HCN(4-3) line and H26α lines in Arp 220 and 2) measurements of the dust continuum in a sample of 107 high redshift galaxies to probe the evolution of the ISM masses. The HCN observations in Arp 220 at 1/2″ resolution provide the first high resolution imaging of the dense star forming gas in this prototypical ULIRG. The HCN is seen in two clearly delineated, counter-rotating disks. The H26α line is a definitive probe of the star formation rate in Arp 220, avoiding obscuration by dust and contamination by AGN luminosity contributions. In the second project, the remarkable continuum sensitivity of ALMA in Band 7 is used to measure the long wavelength Rayleigh-Jeans tail of the dust emission from a sample of 120 galaxies in COSMOS at z = 0.3 to 2.2, providing estimates for the dust masses and hence their ISM masses. This technique will enable measurements for hundreds of galaxies at high-z with observations of typically ~10 min per galaxy. This is in contrast to CO line imaging which typically requires a few hours per galaxy even with the sensitivity of ALMA. The dust-based mass estimates also avoid the uncertainties associated with the CO-to-H2 conversion factor.
Angioedema Associated with Aspirin and Rofecoxib

OBJECTIVE:To report the probable association of angioedema with aspirin therapy and the selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor rofecoxib.CASE SUMMARY:A 44-year-old white woman, previously tolerant to aspirin and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), developed angioedema of the lips after ingesting two 325-mg aspirin tablets during one day. The reaction occurred 3 hours after taking the second aspirin and resolved within 3 hours. Two weeks later, the patient took a 25-mg rofecoxib tablet for a sore throat, and she developed angioedema 51/2 hours later. Although the woman took 50 mg of diphenhydramine, the swelling did not subside. She repeated the diphenhydramine dose in the evening and, by noon the next day, 261/2 hours after the angioedema began, it was resolved. The patient's internist prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector and advised her to consult an allergist. With skin testing and oral rechallenge with aspirin, but not rofecoxib, the allergist determined the cause of the reacti...
An algorithm to identify medication nonpersistence using electronic pharmacy databases.

Objective Identifying patients who are medication nonpersistent (fail to refill in a timely manner) is important for healthcare operations and research. However, consistent methods to detect nonpersistence using electronic pharmacy records are presently lacking. We developed and validated a nonpersistence algorithm for chronically used medications. Materials and Methods Refill patterns of adult diabetes patients (n = 14,349) prescribed cardiometabolic therapies were studied. We evaluated various grace periods (30-300 days) to identify medication nonpersistence, which is defined as a gap between refills that exceeds a threshold equal to the last days’ supply dispensed plus a grace period plus days of stockpiled medication. Since data on medication stockpiles are typically unavailable for ongoing users, we compared nonpersistence to rates calculated using algorithms that ignored stockpiles. Results When using grace periods equal to or greater than the number of days’ supply dispensed (i.e., at least 100 days), this novel algorithm for medication nonpersistence gave consistent results whether or not it accounted for days of stockpiled medication. The agreement (Kappa coefficients) between nonpersistence rates using algorithms with versus without stockpiling improved with longer grace periods and ranged from 0.63 (for 30 days) to 0.98 (for a 300-day grace period). Conclusions Our method has utility for health care operations and research in prevalent (ongoing) and new user cohorts. The algorithm detects a subset of patients with inadequate medication-taking behavior not identified as primary nonadherent or secondary nonadherent. Healthcare systems can most comprehensively identify patients with short- or long-term medication underutilization by identifying primary nonadherence, secondary nonadherence, and nonpersistence.
Impacts of mixed severity wildfire on exotic plants in a Colorado ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir forest

The 2002 Hayman Fire burned with mixed severity across 55,800 ha of montane Colorado forest, including pre-existing plots that were originally measured for understory plant composition and cover in 1997. We examined the influence of the Hayman Fire on exotic plants by remeasuring these plots annually from 2003 to 2007. We found that (1) exotic richness and cover generally increased as fire severity and time since fire increased; (2) the exotic species present in a plot before the fire were also largely present in the plot postfire, regardless of fire severity; (3) most of the new postfire species in a plot were present elsewhere in the study area before the fire, although some new species were truly new invaders that were not found in prefire surveys; (4) lightly burned riparian forests were not more susceptible to exotic invasion than surrounding uplands that burned with similar severity; and (5) native and exotic richness and cover were positively correlated or uncorrelated for all fire severities and years. Our findings indicate that exotics were stimulated by the Hayman Fire, especially in severely burned areas. However, exotic richness and cover remain low as of 2007, and correlations between native and exotic richness and cover suggest that exotics have not yet interfered with native understory development. Therefore, we conclude that exotic plants are not a major ecological threat at present, but recommend that monitoring be continued to evaluate if they will pose a threat in future years.
Sensor-Enabled Geosynthetics: Use of Conducting Carbon Networks as Geosynthetic Sensors

A novel technique is developed based on the piezoresistivity of electrically filled polymers to measure the tensile strain in modified geosynthetics without the need for conventional instrumentation (e.g., strain gauges). This paper reports the development of the technique and the results obtained on high-density polyethylene and polypropylene (PP) geogrid specimens filled with carbon black and carbon nanotubes (NTs). It was found that except for NT-filled PP specimens all other composites exhibited significant strain sensitivity in their conductivity. The proof-of-concept study reported in this paper has two important features: (1) strain sensitivity of electrical conductivity was demonstrated in polyolefins used to manufacture geosynthetics; and (2) this strain sensitivity was obtained and demonstrated over the range of strain values that are important in geosynthetic engineering applications.
Context-sensitive active sensing in humans

Humans and animals readily utilize active sensing, or the use of self-motion, to focus sensory and cognitive resources on the behaviorally most relevant stimuli and events in the environment. Understanding the computational basis of natural active sensing is important both for advancing brain sciences and for developing more powerful artificial systems. Recently, we proposed a goal-directed, context-sensitive, Bayesian control strategy for active sensing, C-DAC (Context-Dependent Active Controller) (Ahmad & Yu, 2013). In contrast to previously proposed algorithms for human active vision, which tend to optimize abstract statistical objectives and therefore cannot adapt to changing behavioral context or task goals, C-DAC directly minimizes behavioral costs and thus, automatically adapts itself to different task conditions. However, C-DAC is limited as a model of human active sensing, given its computational/representational requirements, especially for more complex, real-world situations. Here, we propose a myopic approximation to C-DAC, which also takes behavioral costs into account, but achieves a significant reduction in complexity by looking only one step ahead. We also present data from a human active visual search experiment, and compare the performance of the various models against human behavior. We find that C-DAC and its myopic variant both achieve better fit to human data than Infomax (Butko & Movellan, 2010), which maximizes expected cumulative future information gain. In summary, this work provides novel experimental results that differentiate theoretical models for human active sensing, as well as a novel active sensing algorithm that retains the context-sensitivity of the optimal controller while achieving significant computational savings.
A Stabilizing Comonomer: II. Stabilization and Polymerization Characteristics

The hardening times of an experimental composite material and the gel times of a two-liquid monomer formulation increased with higher concentrations of a stabilizing comonomer (BHM). The compound, BHM (3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl methacrylate), polymerized under anaerobic conditions when initiated with 2-cyano-2-propyl radicals.
Calcium-calmodulin does not alter the anion permeability of the mouse TMEM16A calcium-activated chloride channel.

The transmembrane protein TMEM16A forms a Ca2+-activated Cl− channel that is permeable to many anions, including SCN−, I−, Br−, Cl−, and HCO3−, and has been implicated in various physiological functions. Indeed, controlling anion permeation through the TMEM16A channel pore may be critical in regulating the pH of exocrine fluids such as the pancreatic juice. The anion permeability of the TMEM16A channel pore has recently been reported to be modulated by Ca2+-calmodulin (CaCaM), such that the pore of the CaCaM-bound channel shows a reduced ability to discriminate between anions as measured by a shift of the reversal potential under bi-ionic conditions. Here, using a mouse TMEM16A clone that contains the two previously identified putative CaM-binding motifs, we were unable to demonstrate such CaCaM-dependent changes in the bi-ionic potential. We confirmed the activity of CaCaM used in our study by showing CaCaM modulation of the olfactory cyclic nucleotide–gated channel. We suspect that the different bi-ionic potentials that were obtained previously from whole-cell recordings in low and high intracellular [Ca2+] may result from different degrees of bi-ionic potential shift secondary to a series resistance problem, an ion accumulation effect, or both.
Requirements of role-based access control for collaborative systems

In many collaborative systems, users can trigger the execution of commands in a process owned by another user. Unless the access rights of such processes are limited, any user in the collaboration can gain access to another’s private files; execute applications on another user’s behalf; or read public system files, such as the password file, on another user’s machine. However, some applications require limited sharing of private files, so it may be desirable to grant access to these files for a specific purpose. Role-based access control (RBAC) models can be used to limit the access rights of processes, but current implementations do not enable users to flexibly control the access rights of a process at runtime. We define a discretionary access control model that enables principals to flexibly control the access rights of a collaborative process. We then specify the requirements of RBAC models necessary to implement this discretionary access control model.
Electrical Conductivity of Anisotropic iPP Carbon Nanotube Thin Films

Polymer and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) nanocomposites exhibit many properties that are not present in either the pure polymer or CNTs. The polymer crystallization kinetics and crystal forms are greatly changed by dispersion of CNTs nanotubes. In addition to various thermophysical properties, CNTs are metallic or semiconductive and highly anisotropic while the polymer hosts are typically excellent insulators and isotropic. In this work, measurements of the electrical conductivity, σ, of thin-film nanocomposites of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and CNTs as a function of CNT concentration (0, 1, 2, and 5% by weight of CNT) and melt-shearing induced anisotropy in σ between parallel and perpendicular to the shearing axis is presented and compared them with analogous data for their thermal transport properties. The iPP host is itself one of the most widely used polymers, has liquid crystalline phases, and it is expected that iPP/CNT nanocomposites will be widely used in many polymer applications, some of which are for flexible electrodes, medical and electronics packaging and chemical sensors. The effect of melt-shearing is expected to induce anisotropy in the various properties of the iPP/CNT thin film that should be particularly apparent in the electrical conductivity of the polymer films, higher in the direction of the alignment and lower in the direction perpendicular to it. With increasing CNT content, the average conductivity 〈σ〉 increases slightly from 0 to 2% CNT then dramatically increases by eight orders of magnitude for 5%. The shear induced property of anisotropy, δσs = (σ‖ − σ⊥) / 〈σ〉, overall increases with CNT content, revealing a large spike for the 1% sample, indicating the possibility of enhanced δσs due to optimized orienting procedures.
Are individuals with severe mental retardation and multiple disabilities cost-efficient to serve via supported employment programs?

Abstract The relations between cost-efficiency (from the perspective of worker, taxpayer, and society) and personal characteristics of supported employees (i.e., IQ, level of mental retardation, mu...
Brief Review of Concepts and Experimental Techniques

In considering the structure of solid matter, crystallographers begin with the strict mathematical formulation of an atomic pattern repeating endlessly with exact regularity. The truly stable form for a chemical compound at a particular pressure and temperature has the lowest value for the Gibbs energy function G = U − TS + PV (U internal energy, T absolute temperature, S entropy, P pressure, V volume). At the absolute zero of temperature only one atomic pattern at a given pressure could have minimum internal energy. Because attractive forces between atoms lead to a condensed state at lowered temperature, the stable form at the limit consists of a single edifice composed of regularly repeating units. At elevated temperatures, the entropy increases because of thermal motion and because of substitutional and positional disorder. A structural variant with disorder is favored over an ordered form if the entropy term outweighs the increase of internal energy caused by the disordered atoms. As the heat motion increases, the difference between the internal energies of ordered and disordered forms becomes less significant in relation to the entropy term, and certain types of disorder become favored, culminating in breakdown to the liquid or vapor state. Thus the idealized concept of a strictly-regular crystal structure becomes less applicable as the temperature rises, and it is the resultant disorder which provides a petrogenetic value to crystallographic studies of minerals. However mathematical analysis of the idealized regular structure is fundamental to all mineralogic analysis.
Correlation between muscle activity and the center of pressure

The development of a method to assist in diagnosing balance disorders necessitates a study of the interactions between the parameter indicating the instability of the balance mechanism (COP) and the factors that assist in maintaining the balance. Thus, the objective of this study was to establish the existence of correlation between the COP excursions and the muscle activity during balance. A correlation was established between the COP excursions and the gastrocnemius (Ga) and tibialis anterior (Ta) muscle activity at the ankle joint. Further studies need to be performed to quantify this correlation in order to completely understand the balance mechanism of the human body and to determine a method for the diagnosis of balance disorders. >
Changes in Ventricular Geometry Predict Severity of Right Ventricular Hypertension.

Changes in ventricular geometry are often seen in patients with right ventricular hypertension secondary to pulmonary hypertension (PH). Progressive systolic bowing of the inter-ventricular septum occurs with increasing right ventricular pressure (RVp) and can be quantified with the left ventricular end-systolic eccentricity index (LVEI). Only limited data exist in children to evaluate the relationship between the LVEI and invasive RVp. We sought to assess the correlation between the LVEI and an invasively measured peak systolic RVp to aortic pressure (pAo) ratio. Medical records of patients undergoing echocardiography within 30 days of right and left heart catheterization for evaluation of PH between February 2009 and March 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-six studies in 29 subjects (median age 3.8 years, 46 % female), with a median time from echocardiogram to catheterization of -1.0 days, were included for analysis. The mean LVEI was 1.6 ± 0.5, and mean RVp/pAo ratio was 0.68 ± 0.26. There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.76, p 0.50 by the LVEI. An LVEI >1.48 had a sensitivity of 76 % and specificity of 100 % in predicting RVp/pAo >0.50, while an LVEI >1.24 had a sensitivity of 88 % and specificity of 83 %. Echocardiographically derived LVEI is strongly correlated with invasively determined RVp/pAo ratio. In combination with other noninvasive measures of RVp, LVEI may help minimize the need for invasive patient evaluation.
U.S. Monitoring of Detainee Transfers in Afghanistan International Standards and Lessons from the UK & Canada

The US should ensure that detainees it apprehends and transfers to Afghan authorities are treated humanely. Just as long-term detention operations in Afghanistan are politically sensitive and pose a strategic liability to US interests, US detainee transfer practices may undercut the counterinsurgency strategy to "win hearts and minds" of the Afghan public insofar as they are associated with abuse or collusion with abusers.The US has already committed to supporting institutional reform of the Afghan justice and security sectors - in particular, as an integral part of its plans to transition the Detention Facility in Parwan to Afghan control in 2011. Likewise, the US should take steps to systematically reduce the likelihood of abuse against detainees it transfers to the custody of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), an Afghan intelligence agency. As other human rights groups have urged, the US should consider a moratorium on transfers pending demonstrated improvement in NDS facility conditions, or consider alternative transfer arrangements. It should also conduct capacity-building, including training of NDS personnel. The US should also take steps to deter and detect abuse by the NDS through robust, intrusive and systematic monitoring of NDS facilities where transferred detainees are held. The US should draw on the experiences of Canada and the UK, including their known failures and attempted improvements, and their willingness to declare moratoriums on transfer where there are allegations of abuse and NDS obstructions of access. The US should also establish minimum requirements for monitoring based on international torture prevention monitoring standards. These standards reflect the importance of securing a broad mandate for a monitoring team’s access to detainees. They also reflect the need to design a monitoring protocol that accounts for the ease with which torture can be concealed and the difficulty of achieving deterrence against abuse.
The Gutenberg-Richter or characteristic earthquake distribution, which is it?

Abstract Paleoearthquake and fault slip-rate data are combined with the CIT-USGS catalog for the period 1944 to 1992 to examine the shape of the magnitude-frequency distribution along the major strike-slip faults of southern California. The resulting distributions for the Newport-Inglewood, Elsinore, Garlock, and San Andreas faults are in accord with the characteristic earthquake model of fault behavior. The distribution observed along the San Jacinto fault satisfies the Gutenberg-Richter relationship. If attention is limited to segments of the San Jacinto that are marked by the rupture zones of large historical earthquakes or distinct steps in fault trace, the observed distribution along each segment is consistent with the characteristic earthquake model. The Gutenberg-Richter distribution observed for the entirety of the San Jacinto may reflect the sum of seismicity along a number of distinct fault segments, each of which displays a characteristic earthquake distribution. The limited period of instrumental recording is insufficient to disprove the hypothesis that all faults will display a Gutenberg-Richter distribution when averaged over the course of a complete earthquake cycle. But, given that (1) the last 5 decades of seismicity are the best indicators of the expected level of small to moderate-size earthquakes in the next 50 years, and (2) it is generally about this period of time that is of interest in seismic hazard and engineering analysis, the answer to the question posed in the title of the article, at least when concerned with practical implementation of seismic hazard analysis at sites along these major faults, appears to be the “characteristic earthquake distribution.”
Effects of Heat Shock Protein-70 Gene and Forage System on Milk Yield and Composition of Beef Cattle1

Genomic DNA from 117 Angus, Brahman, and reciprocal-cross cows was used to determine the influence of heat shock protein-70 haplotype and forage type [endophyte-infected tall fescue (Neotyphodium coenophialum; E +) or common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon; BG)] on milk yield and milk composition (protein, fat, and SCC). Blood samples (n = 117) were collected, the buffy coat was separated, and genomic DNA was extracted. A 523-bp fragment of the heat shock protein-70 gene was amplified by PCR, purified, and sequenced to determine the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Two of 8 previously determined SNP (at base 1,926 as a C > G base substitution with a frequency of 3.8% and at base 2,033 as a G > C base substitution with a frequency of 14%) were found to be functional and in the coding region. Cows were grouped based on predetermined SNP profiles as haplotype 1 [24 Angus (AA), 23 Brahman (BB), and 45 crosses (AB or BA)], haplotype 2 [8 AA, 5 BB, and 6 AB or BA], or haplotype 3 [2 AA and 4 AB or BA]. Milk yield and composition were determined on 5 dates in each of 3 yr during the grazing period (May through September). Mean milk yield was greater (P < 0.01) for cows grazing BG (average 5.2 ± 0.06 kg/d) compared with cows grazing E + (average 3.7 ± 0.23 kg/d). Similarly, milk fat content was greater (P < 0.01) for cows grazing BG (average 3.93 ± 0.21%) than for cows grazing E + (average 3.20 ± 0.26%). Our data indicated that tendencies existed for a haplotype × forage interaction on milk yield (P = 0.10) and a haplotype × month interaction for SCC (P < 0.05).
SONG DEVELOPMENT AND TERRITORY ESTABLISHMENT IN NUTTALL'S WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS

Song development and territory establishment were studied in the permanently resident Nuttall's White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli). Hatching-year birds (juveniles) begin subsong in July, and the first crystallized songs are heard in late September. Social interaction with territorial adults accelerates song development so that song crystallizes earlier in wild juveniles than in hand-raised laboratory birds. Some juveniles begin staking out territories in September and October. At this time individuals may sing up to four song types. As time progresses settling juveniles use only one or sometimes two song types which match those of neighbors with whom they interact. Singing is performed circumannually, even during the molt in this subspecies, reflecting its year-round territo- riality.
The Hague Convention of 1954: History, Significance and Compliances

The UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, signed at the Hague in 1954, is a document that reflects 20th century thinking on the means to safeguard the world's cultural heritage. It is our task to transform it into one that anticipates the challenges of the 21st century. First, then, we should pay homage to those individuals who had the spirit and the resolve to formulate the Convention and its Protocol. Second, we should admit that the Convention's effectiveness has been minimized in the past, largely due to a Euclidean conceptualization of the problem when in fact during war the axioms become spontaneously non-Euclidean, non-linear and highly chaotic. Clearly there is a need to reevaluate its premises in fresh ways, and to strengthen it in the context of the New Age that shall define the future.
SCHEDULING CONFLICT-FREE PARTIES FOR A DATING SERVICE

(1997). Scheduling Conflict-free Parties for a Dating Service. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 104, No. 2, pp. 99-106.
Characterization of a crude oil weathering series by ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry using multiple ionization modes

Accidental crude oil releases, such as the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) accident, are always a potential threat to pristine marine ecosystems. Since the toxicity of crude oil heavily depends on its variable composition, the comprehensive characterization of crude oil compounds as a function of weathering is an important area of research. Traditional gas chromatography-based characterization presents significant limitations, and the use of ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometric (UHRMS) techniques (that allow for the assignment of molecular formulae) has been shown to be better equipped to address the complex nature of crude oils. This study used an Orbitrap Q Exactive mass spectrometer operated at a resolving power of 140,000FWHM with both electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) sources, in order to characterize a crude oil weathering series of the Macondo oil released during the DWH incident (the source oil, two differently weathered surface slicks, and a beached residue). Preliminary gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography flame ionization detection (GC-FID) results suggested that the four oils comprised a true weathering series (including biodegradation and photodegradation in addition to other well-known processes such as dissolution and evaporation). UHRMS results showed a clear increase in oxygenated compounds with weathering, and further suggested a significant gain of acidic compounds, as well as the transformation of phenols to ketonic and quinonic compounds with weathering. A complementary study on a weathered oil sample amended with selected model compounds contributed additional insight into the functional group types that are accessible in each ionization technique.
Central Asia and the Transcaucasus

Central Asia and the Transcaucasus form a strategic belt that arches from the Black Sea to China. Together with the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, three of the six Soviet successor states which comprise this area — Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkmenistan — wrap around Iran’s northern border. Iran’s attempts to develop relations with them are a direct outgrowth of several related developments: the dissolution of the Soviet Union; the penetration of the area by foreign governments and multinational corporations; and Iran’s own strategic, economic and political concerns. This combination of circumstances has led Iran to interact with the former Soviet republics in ways that can best be described as restorative, preventative, competitive and developmental.
Influence of Bubbling of “Passive” Gases on the Properties of Water and Aqueous Solutions of Sodium Chloride

It is experimentally established that, in the course of bubbling of “passive” gases through the aqueous solutions of NaCl, we observe not only the wash-out of soluble CO2 and O2 but also the continuous generation a new gas–solution interface, which has a pronounced acid character. This is why bursting of gas bubbles on the surface is accompanied by the formations of acid aerosols and the appearance of a specific bubbling chemical effect (BCE), when the pH value of the solution independently increases (alkaline BCE) or decreases (acid BCE). The form of the BCE is determined by the type of aerosol (finely or coarsely divided) and the rate of its removal from the system. In distilled water, the BCE is not observed. Structural changes in water may serve as a cause of the acidity of interface in gas bubbles.
The Sport Chaplain's Role in the Holistic Care Model for Collegiate Athletes in the United States

More than 460,000 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student–athletes compete in twenty-three sports each year. These student–athletes receive a spectrum of services that include academic support to medical care. This paper examines the role and function of sport chaplains who work in a collegiate (colleges and university) athletics in the United States. The role of the collegiate sport chaplain in the provision of holistic care in a collegiate athletics environment is examined. Additionally, a conceptual model of holistic care is presented that includes traditional and emerging parties in the chain of care. More student–athletes are aware of the importance of spirituality in their lives, and the role of the sport chaplain's ministry becomes increasingly important to the individual player and the team. Finally, a practical theology of sport chaplaincy includes the primacy of the ‘shepherding’ function in the holistic care model.
Integrative Summary of Renal Function

Understanding of renal glomerular and tubular functions discussed in the preceding chapters is far from complete, even for mammals. It is much less complete for the nonmammalian vertebrates that are the primary subjects of this volume. Nevertheless, it is possible to make some integrative generalizations about renal function in each major group of vertebrates and some general comparisons and contrasts of renal function among groups of vertebrates. However, these are just generalizations. They do not include all the functional details discussed earlier. Moreover, they may be modified in detail for individual species within a given vertebrate group.
Recent advances in pediatric celiac disease.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The incidence of celiac disease (CD) has increased over the last half-century, resulting in rising interest in identifying risk factors for CD. The necessity of duodenal biopsies in the diagnosis of CD has recently been challenged.Areas covered: This review covers the recent literature regarding the role of infant feeding practices, including breastfeeding and timing of gluten introduction, and the microbiota in the development of CD. Additionally, the application of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition guidelines for a non-biopsy approach to the diagnosis of CD is reviewed.Expert commentary: Recent investigations have not revealed any significant effect of breastfeeding or timing of gluten introduction on the risk of CD in at-risk populations. There are alterations in the microbiota of CD patients. However, the role of the microbiome and whether its manipulation has a clinical effect are unknown. Preliminary data suggests a non-biopsy approa...
Endovascular Treatment of Iliac Artery Chronic Total Occlusions

Approximately 8.5 million American adults are affected by peripheral artery disease (PAD). The iliac arteries and infrarenal aorta are among the arterial circulations most commonly affected by atherosclerotic chronic total occlusion (CTO) and constitute approximately one third of cases of PAD. Percutaneous angioplasty for iliac CTO was first described by Tegtmeyer et al. in 1979 in a 55-year-old diabetic woman with nonhealing foot ulcers in association with a CTO of the right common iliac artery (CIA) [1]. While surgical bypass can be performed with high long-term patency for aortoiliac PAD, endovascular interventions are increasingly being used to treat disabling claudication in such patients [2]. Surgical bypass options vary based on the specific anatomy, but include aortofemoral or aorta bi-femoral bypass, iliofemoral bypass, femoral-femoral bypass, and aortoiliac endarterectomy. Surgical bypass is associated with satisfactory improvement in symptoms and long-term patency rates, but such operations may incur significant operative morbidity and mortality. Thus endovascular aortoiliac interventions are often considered as a first-line treatment strategy for symptomatic patients with aortoiliac disease [2, 3].
Vermillion reconstruction with anal verge transitional epithelium: Turning things upside down

Postburn lip deformities pose a significant set of challenges to reconstructive burn surgeons because of the complex anatomy, diverse functions, and specialized nature of the lip tissues. There has been a paucity of literature on restoration of the vermillion to date. The authors report on two patients who suffered burn injuries resulting in significant lip deformities who underwent a novel method of vermillion reconstruction with a full thickness anal verge skin graft. Both patients tolerated the procedure well without complications. One patient had slight hyperpigmentation of the graft which was treated with a phenol peel to cause intentional lightening. Overall, both patients had a restored vermillion border and improved color match and contour of the lip. Histologic analysis of the anal verge demonstrates that it has a nonkeratinized, transitional epithelial architecture which is nearly identical to that of the vermillion tissue. Skin grafting remains one of the cornerstones of tissue replacement in acute burn care and burn reconstruction. The vermillion represents an area of specialized tissue that is not well reconstructed with simple skin grafts. Other methods for reconstruction involve lip switch operations or local flaps, like a ventral tongue flap. These procedures are not without limitation and can often cause microstomia among other issues. With no donor site morbidity, a full thickness anal verge skin graft represents the closest approximation of actual vermillion tissue found anywhere else in the body and should be considered a viable option in the reconstruction of these challenging patients.
Thermal characterization of gallium nitride p-i-n diodes

In this study, various thermal characterization techniques and multi-physics modeling were applied to understand the thermal characteristics of GaN vertical and quasi-vertical power diodes. Optical thermography techniques typically used for lateral GaN device temperature assessment including infrared thermography, thermoreflectance thermal imaging, and Raman thermometry were applied to GaN p-i-n diodes to determine if each technique is capable of providing insight into the thermal characteristics of vertical devices. Of these techniques, thermoreflectance thermal imaging and nanoparticle assisted Raman thermometry proved to yield accurate results and are the preferred methods of thermal characterization of vertical GaN diodes. Along with this, steady state and transient thermoreflectance measurements were performed on vertical and quasi-vertical GaN p-i-n diodes employing GaN and Sapphire substrates, respectively. Electro-thermal modeling was performed to validate measurement results and to demonstrate the effect of current crowding on the thermal response of quasi-vertical diodes. In terms of mitigating the self-heating effect, both the steady state and transient measurements demonstrated the superiority of the tested GaN-on-GaN vertical diode compared to the tested GaN-on-Sapphire quasi-vertical structure.
A Recent Story About Uber

Beaton examines how apps (software applications) manifest within contemporary literature, focusing on a recent story about Uber by the American author Colby Buzzell. The chapter highlights the value of literary sources within the history of early digital culture and technology. Buzzell’s story about Uber, Beaton argues, is particularly notable for how it chronicles some of the contradictions that surrounded early apps in their specific contexts of use. In addition, the chapter looks at how Buzzell’s recent story about Uber offers a glimpse into a larger process of technology recession that coincided with the era of early apps. As Beaton points out, lurking inside Buzzell’s story about Uber is a subplot about the “social death” of things.
Quality and Variability of Online Physical Therapy Protocols for Isolated Meniscal Repairs

The ideal meniscal repair postoperative rehabilitation protocol has yet to be determined. Further, patients are attempting to access health care content online at a precipitously increasing rate given the efficiency of modern search engines. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the quality and variability of meniscal repair rehabilitation protocols published online with the hypothesis that there would be a high degree of variability found across available protocols. To this end, Web-based meniscal repair physical therapy protocols from U.S. academic orthopaedic programs as well as the first 10 protocols identified by the Google search engine for the term "meniscal repair physical therapy protocol" were reviewed and assessed via a custom scoring rubric. Twenty protocols were identified from 155 U.S. academic orthopaedic programs for a total of 30 protocols. Twenty-six protocols (86.6%) recommended immediate postoperative bracing. Twelve (40.0%) protocols permitted immediate weight-bearing as tolerated (WBAT) postoperatively, while the remaining protocols permitted WBAT at an average of 4.0 (range, 1-7) weeks. There was considerable variation in range of motion (ROM) goals, with most protocols (73.3%) initiating immediate passive ROM to 90°. The types and timing of strength, proprioception, agility, and pivoting exercises advised were extremely diverse. Only five protocols (16.7%) employed functional testing as a marker for return to athletics. The results of this study indicate that only a minority of academic orthopaedic programs publish meniscal repair physical therapy protocols online and that within the most readily available online protocols there are significant disparities in regards to brace use, ROM, weight-bearing, and strengthening and proprioception exercises. These discrepancies reflect the fact that the best rehabilitation practices after a meniscal repair have yet to be elucidated. This represents a significant area for improved patient care through standardization.