cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intestinal radioprotection by vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol).

OBJECTIVES: The major objective of this study was to test vitamin E as a potential radioprotectant for the small bowel of the rat. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Vitamin E has previously been shown to provide radioprotection in animal models: increased survival after whole-body irradiation, diminished absorptive malfunction, and modest diminution in postirradiation hemolysis. The lumenal route for intestinal radioprotection has not been tested. METHODS: Rat mid-small bowel was surgically exteriorized and segmented by ties into compartments, each of which was filled with a test solution 30 minutes before 1100 cGy of x-irradiation was administered. After the rats were killed 5 days later, the various segments were evaluated for surviving crypts, mucosal height, and goblet cell preservation. Lumenal agents included alpha-tocopherol phosphate and alpha-tocopherol acetate. In a separate study, dietary supplements of alpha-tocopherol were given for 10 days before irradiation, and the same irradiation sequence was carried out. RESULTS: Small bowel crypt cell numbers, mucosal height, and goblet cell numbers were significantly protected from radiation effects by dietary alpha tocopherol pretreatment and by lumenal application of the vitamin. CONCLUSIONS: These studies indicate that vitamin E can serve as a partial protectant against acute irradiation enteritis, whether given as chronic oral systemic pretreatment or as a brief topical application.
Heat capacities and densities of solutions of NaCl, DCl, and NaOD in D2O at 283.15, 298.15, and 313.15 K: ΔCpo and ΔVo for ionization of D2O

Abstract Apparent molar heat capacities and apparent molar volumes of NaCl, DCl, and NaOD in dilute solutions in D2O solvent were determined using a flow microcalorimeter and flow densimeter, at 283.15, 298.15, and 313.15 K. These were used to derive Cp, Σ∞ and VΣ∞ for the solutes by extrapolation to infinite dilution. Values for ΔCpo and ΔVo for the ionization of D2O at the above three temperatures were obtained. Some of these results were combined with results from the literature to derive an equation predicting the enthalpy of ionization of D2O over a range of temperatures.
Absolute H - detachment cross sections

Absolute detachment cross sections for 200-eV to 10-keV ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ on He, Ar, ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$, and ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ were measured to an accuracy of 7% using the beam-attenuation method. The cross sections, approximately (5-25) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, all increase slowly with increasing collision energy, except for ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, in which case the cross section decreases with increasing impact energies up to 4 keV. The present results are compared with previous measurements. A semiempirical theory based on low-energy-electron scattering predicts the detachment cross sections with some success.
Regulation of a hybrid gene by glucose and temperature in hamster fibroblasts

A novel eukaryotic hybrid gene has been constructed from the 5' sequence of a rat gene and the bacterial neomycin-resistance gene. After transfection into hamster fibroblasts, the neo transcripts can be induced to high levels by the absence of glucose. Furthermore, this hybrid gene can be regulated by temperature when it is introduced into a temperature-sensitive mutant cell line.
FDA Approval: Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine for the Treatment of Patients with HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

On February 22, 2013, the FDA licensed ado-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla; Genentech, Inc.) for use as a single agent for the treatment of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who previously received trastuzumab and a taxane, separately or in combination. The clinical basis for licensure was a phase III trial in 991 patients with HER2-positive MBC that randomly allocated patients to receive ado-trastuzumab emtansine (n=495) or lapatinib in combination with capecitabine (n=496). The coprimary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) based on tumor assessments by an independent review committee and overall survival (OS). Statistically significant improvements in PFS and OS were observed in patients receiving ado-trastuzumab emtansine compared with patients receiving lapatinib plus capecitabine [difference in PFS medians of 3.2 months, HR, 0.65 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.55-0.77), P<0.0001 and difference in OS medians of 5.8 months, HR, 0.68 (95% CI, 0.55-0.85), P=0.0006]. The most common adverse reactions in patients receiving ado-trastuzumab emtansine were fatigue, nausea, musculoskeletal pain, thrombocytopenia, headache, increased aminotransferase levels, and constipation. Other significant adverse reactions included hepatobiliary disorders and left ventricular dysfunction. Given the PFS and OS results, the benefit-risk profile was considered favorable.
Thermal cracking of ethane and ethylene in a stock tube

The rates of decomposition of ethane and ethylene were measured at temperatures between 1,250° and 2,800°K. and pressures between 0.25 and 2.0 atm. by exposing the gases to high temperature during the interval between the arrival of a compression wave and a reflected rarefaction wave in a shock tube. As contrasted with cracking at lower temperatures the ethane apparently reacted to hydrogen, ethylene, and acetylene and the ethylere to hydrogen and acetylene with negligible side reactions or polymerization. The over-all decomposition rates at high temperature fall off sharply from those extrapolated from low temperature, indicating a change in mechanism. Additions of air, oxygen, carbon monoxide, and chlorine in amounts up to 17% did not effect the rate constants significantly.
Family planning in Sub-Saharan Africa: present status and future strategies.

Africa lags behind the rest of the developing world in most demographic, health and economic indicators of social development, but some progress has been made in contraceptive prevalence and fertility decline. Many challenges remain for governments on that continent to meet the basic reproductive health needs of their rapidly growing populations. With the sustained support of the international community, there is reason to be hopeful.
Multisensory activation of the phosphorelay initiating sporulation in Bacillus subtilis: identification and sequence of the protein kinase of the alternate pathway.

The phosphorelay is the signal-transduction system recognizing and integrating environmental signals to initiate sporulation. The major signal input to the phosphorelay is an ATP-dependent kinase, KinA, responsible for phosphorylating the SpoOF protein. Mutants lacking KinA, however, still sporulate, suggesting that other kinases can fulfil its role. In order to identify these kinases, genes for kinases were isolated by hybridization using a degenerate oligonucleotide probe designed for common regions of this class of kinases. A gene for a second kinase, KinB, was isolated which gave a sporulation negative phenotype when inactivated in a kinA background. The kinB locus was sequenced and found to be a small operon consisting of the kinB gene and another gene, kapB, transcribed from a single.sigma A.-dependent promoter. Inactivation of either kinB or kapB in a kinA strain led to severe sporulation deficiency. The kinB gene coded for a 47774 M(r) protein with the carboxyl half of this protein highly homologous to the same domain of KinA. The amino-terminal domain of KinB was hydrophobic with six recognizable membrane-spanning regions. The kapB gene coded for a moderately charged, probably soluble, protein of 14,668 M(r) with no homology to any known protein. Genetic evidence suggests that KapB is required either for the function of KinB or for its expression. Although double mutants kinA kinB cannot sporulate and assume a stage 0 phenotype, the SpoA approximately P-dependent regulation of the abrB gene is normal in these strains, suggesting that low levels of SpoA approximately P accumulate even in the absence of both kinases. This accumulation is dependent on functional spo0F and spo0B genes and its source is unknown. The KinA and KinB pathways are the only pathways capable of producing sufficient Spo0A approximately P to allow initiation and completion of sporulation under laboratory conditions.
A cluster-based protocol for self-organizing UWB wireless ad hoc sensor networks

Ultra wideband (UWB) technology with features of low cost, low power and high time resolution has potentially important applications in wireless ad hoc sensor networks. This paper proposes a cluster-based protocol for a class of UWB wireless ad hoc sensor networks. We consider a network of a large number of virtually identical but stationary sensor nodes that are energy-constrained with limited computing capabilities. This protocol fully exploits the features of impulse-radio-based UWB technology and orthogonal signaling to allow sensor nodes self-organizing and becoming aware of their locations without the need to use ID numbers. The entire network is divided into clusters. Each cluster is uniquely identified by a gradient index and a sector index. Any detected information is transmitted via a multi-hop path characterized by steep descent in the gradient index. The proposed protocol combines the advantages of both flat-based and hierarchical-based routing protocols. In this protocol, the key issues of the physical layer and the medium access control tasks of the data link layer can be jointly handled by the appropriate use of multiple access techniques. Computer modeling demonstrates that the proposed protocol performs well with different network scenarios.
Argyrophilic grains: a distinct disease or an additive pathology?

Abstract Background Argyrophilic grains (AG) are silver-positive spindle-shaped lesions found at postmortem. Their significance is controversial. Objective To determine clinical correlates of AG and MRI patterns of atrophy that could allow premortem recognition of this pathology. Methods Cases with AG were identified from a longitudinal study of aging and dementia. Clinical features were compared between subjects with and without dementia. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to assess patterns of grey matter atrophy in subjects compared to controls. Whole brain volumes (WBV) were compared across groups. Results Twenty-two cases (14 females; median age at death of 90 years; range: 70–101) with AG were identified. Eight of the 22 were demented. Those with dementia had higher Braak ( p = 0.02) and lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ( p = 0.002). VBM demonstrated hippocampal atrophy in those with dementia ( N = 3) but no atrophy in those without ( N = 9). There was no difference in WBV between groups. Conclusion AG is a feature of old age commonly occurring in non-demented subjects. In this age group, the presence of AG may reduce the threshold for dementia.
COSTS OF FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMMES IN FOURTEEN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BY METHOD OF SERVICE DELIVERY

The cost effectiveness of several modes of family planning service delivery based on the cost per couple-year of protection (CYP), including commodity costs, is assessed for 1991-92 using programme and project data from fourteen developing countries (five in Africa, four in Asia, three in Latin America and two in the Middle East). More than 100 million CYP were provided through these family planning services during the 12 months studied. Sterilisation services provided both the highest volume (over 60% of total) and the lowest cost per CYP ($1.85). Social marketing programmes (CSM), delivering almost 9 million CYPs, had the next lowest cost per CYP on average ($2.14). Clinic-based services excluding sterilisation had an average cost of $6.10. The highest costs were for community-based distribution projects (0.7 million CYPs), which averaged $9.93, and clinic-based services with a community-based distribution component (almost 6 million CYPs), at a cost of $14.00 per CYP. Based on a weighted average, costs were lowest in the Middle East ($3.37 per CYP for all modes of delivery combined) and highest in Africa ($11.20).
Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein and Coronary Artery Disease An Observation With Therapeutic Implications

Plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are strongly inversely associated with risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). It has been estimated that for every 1-mg increase in HDL-C, there is a 2% to 3% decrease in cardiovascular risk,1 which suggests that therapy to increase HDL-C levels could be effective in reducing cardiovascular risk. HDL metabolism is therefore a major emerging target for drug discovery.2 The finding more than a decade ago that genetic deficiency of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) in humans is associated with markedly elevated plasma HDL-C levels led to the concept that CETP inhibition could be a therapeutic strategy for raising HDL.3 Indeed, 2 small-molecule inhibitors of CETP have been shown to raise HDL-C levels in humans,4–6 and this finding has generated substantial enthusiasm for CETP inhibition as a therapeutic strategy. See p 1418 Important questions remain about whether CETP inhibition, despite its positive effects on HDL-C levels, will reduce ASCVD. One theoretical concern is that CETP inhibition could slow the rate of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), the process by which macrophage cholesterol in the vessel wall is returned to the liver for excretion. In studies in humans, radiolabeled cholesteryl esters that originated in HDL ultimately appeared in the bile primarily after their transfer (presumably mediated by CETP) to apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins,7 which suggests that CETP might play an important physiological role in RCT. Ultimately, randomized controlled trials of CETP inhibitors will definitively address their effect on atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. In the meantime, observational studies in humans have the potential to provide important insights into this critical question. Such observational studies include careful assessment of cardiovascular risk in CETP-deficient subjects (both homozygous and heterozygous), as well as studies of the association of CETP polymorphisms and plasma CETP levels with …
Mechanisms for Inducible Control of Angiotensinogen Gene Transcription

The intravascular renin-angiotensin system is an endocrine system designed to maintain cardiovascular homeostasis in response to hypotension. Under normal conditions, angiotensinogen concentrations circulating in the plasma are rate limiting for the maximum velocity of angiotensin I formation. In the liver, the major site of circulating angiotensinogen synthesis, angiotensinogen expression is under exquisite hormonal control. We review the mechanisms by which hormones effect transcriptional control of angiotensinogen expression. Adrenal-derived glucocorticoids produce the translocation of the glucocorticoid receptor into the nucleus. It in turn binds to two glucocorticoid response elements and stimulates angiotensinogen gene transcription. Inflammation activates angiotensinogen transcription as a result of the macrophage-derived cytokines interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. These cytokines change the abundance of two transcription factor families that bind a single regulatory site in the angiotensinogen promoter, the acute-phase response element. These proteins include the nuclear factor-kappaB complex and the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein family. Activation of the renin-angiotensin system, through production of angiotensin II, results in feedback stimulation of angiotensinogen synthesis (the "positive feedback loop"). We have discovered that the nuclear factor-kappaB transcription factor is regulated by angiotensin II, a finding that provides a mechanism for the transcriptional component of angiotensinogen gene synthesis in the positive feedback loop. These studies underscore the concept that induction of the angiotensinogen gene by diverse physiological stimuli is mediated through changes in the nuclear abundance of sequence-specific transcription factors. The intracellular convergence of cytokine- and angiotensin II-induced signaling pathways on the nuclear factor-kappaB transcription factor provides a point for "cross talk" between angiotensin- and cytokine-activated second messenger pathways.
TIRED COPS: PROBABLE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FATIGUE AND THE PERFORMANCE, HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PATROL OFFICERS

This paper proposes a number of connections between administratively controllable causes of fatigue and problems associated with police performance, health, and safety ‐ problems that have long been overlooked. The effects of fatigue on human behavior, performance, and physiology are well understood, and widely known. Excess fatigue arising from sleep loss, circadian disruption, and other factors tends to decrease alertness, impair performance, and worsen mood. It therefore may be expected to influence the performance, health, and safety of patrol officers. The argument is made that much of the fatigue experienced by patrol officers could be controlled administratively, just as we control the working hours of many other occupational groups. As was emphasized in a recent special issue of Human Factors devoted to fatigue, it is important to approach fatigue-related research in a holistic, interdisciplinary manner (Mital and Kumar, 1994:195-6). This paper examines ways in which interactions between physiological and psychological effects associated with fatigue may be expected to influence the performance, health, and safety of patrol officers. It also attempts to assess ways that the social, cultural, and economic construction of field police work may have obscured this problem and the potential for its control. After a brief overview, the discussion that follows uses research on police, anecdotal evidence, official statistics and the results of a preliminary overtime survey to identify what we do and do not know about the sources and pervasiveness of fatigue among police patrol officers. It then examines known and probable ways that the performance, health, and safety of these officers can be affected by both short-term and chronic fatigue. Next, the question of why researchers,
Empowered Youth Programs: Partnerships for Enhancing Postsecondary Outcomes of African American Adolescents.

With the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the educational community has the opportunity to ensure that underserved populations, such as students of color and poor students, receive the necessary educational support to achieve academic success. Relevant data from the Education Trust (1999, 2003, 2006) suggest a growing achievement gap between the academic performance of students of color and that of their White counterparts. This gap has led many educational communities to implement various strategies to close the achievement gap for these underserved populations. Family involvement has long been heralded as a key component for academic success and has moved to the forefront as educational communities explore ways to involve families in the educational experiences of their children (Gonzalez, 2002; Gonzalez-De Hass, Willems, & Holbein, 2005; Henderson, Mapp, Johnson, & Davies, 2007). This article reviews how academic enrichment programs, as part of the educational community, promote ...
PEACEFUL WARRIORS: CODES FOR VIOLENCE AMONG ADULT MALE BAR FIGHTERS

Considerable theoretical and empirical inquiry has focused on the role codes for violence play in generating crime. A large part of this work has examined the attitudes and codes condoning retaliation and violence as well as the prevalence of these among minorities residing in impoverished neighborhoods. Much about the nature of codes remains unknown, however, and this may in part reflect a narrow interest in beliefs about provocation and uses of violence among the inner-city poor. In this study, we elaborate on a code of violence as part of a system of order and honor as articulated by a network of White, working-class males in a southern U.S. city who participate in bar fights. The findings suggest that the code these men use prohibits predatory violence, puts exclusive limitations on situations that warrant violence, and constrains the level of violence in a fight. We detail the contours of this code (e.g., purpose of fighting, the rules of honorable fighting, and justifications for violating these rules) and discuss the code as both a cause and a consequence of behavior. Language: en
High-Strain-Rate Dynamic Mechanical Properties of a W-Reinforced Zr-Based Bulk Metallic Glass Composite

The structural/mechanical behavior of zirconium-based (Vitreloy106) bulk metallic glass reinforced with tungsten particles is evaluated using elastic and plastic property measurements via static and dynamic compression tests performed on rod shaped samples. Anvil-on-rod impact tests combined with high-speed digital photography and velocity interferometry are used to obtain qualitative and quantitative information about the transient deformation and failure response of the composites. The deformation and failure mechanisms of recovered impacted specimens are also characterized and correlated with their structure and tungsten phase distribution. The results of these experiments and initial attempts at validating constitutive equations based on homogeneous/inhomogeneous plastic/viscous flow in glassy and glassy-crystalline composites will be presented.
Quantification of aortic stiffness using magnetic resonance elastography: Measurement reproducibility, pulse wave velocity comparison, changes over cardiac cycle, and relationship with age.

Purpose To assess MR elastography (MRE)-derived aortic shear stiffness (μMRE) measurements for: 1) reproducibility, 2) comparison to pulse wave velocity, 3) changes over the cardiac cycle, and 4) relationship with age. Methods Cardiac-gated aortic MRE was performed on 20 healthy volunteers (aged 20–73 years). For assessing reproducibility of stiffness measurements, scans were repeated per volunteer. MRE wave images were analyzed to obtain stiffness of the abdominal aorta across the cardiac cycle, and comparisons were made with subject age. Results Analysis of concordance correlation coefficient between scans 1 and 2 showed that rc = 0.86 (95% confidence interval, 0.77, 0.94) with P < 0.0001. Significantly higher μMRE was observed for all volunteers during end-systole when compared to end-diastole (P < 0.0001). μMRE increased with age; end-systolic stiffness demonstrated a relatively stronger correlation with age (r = 0.62, P = 0.003) when compared to end-diastolic stiffness (r = 0.51, P = 0.023); and the slopes of end-systole and end-diastole were found to be significantly different (P = 0.011). at end-systole and end-diastole correlated linearly with pulse wave velocity, with an r = 0.54 (P = 0.013) and r = 0.58 (P = 0.008), respectively. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that MRE-derived aortic shear stiffness measurements are robust (reproducible and comparable to similar techniques). Mean μMRE was higher during end-systole when compared to end-diastole. μMRE was found to increase with age and showed a stronger correlation with end-systolic stiffness than with end-diastolic stiffness. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Generalizations regarding the process and phenomenon of osseointegration. Part II. In vitro studies.

The clinical success of endosseous implants is associated with the formation and maintenance of bone at implant surfaces. Histologic analyses have indicated that bone formation at a variety of implant surfaces is a continuous process that supports long-term functional integration. Based on in vivo observations, several generalizations have been derived regarding the nature of the interface. Experimental descriptions indicate that the implantbone interface may be characterized in spatial and temporal terms as discontinuous. Biomechanical tests of the bone associations with implants demonstrate that the chemical composition and the surface topography of the implant influence the rate and extent of bone formation at implant surfaces. The precise character and functional attributes of this interface are the focus of this investigation. Many technical difficulties are associated with its structural and chemical characterization in vivo. Despite the technically difficult nature of this type of analysis and the limitations of current histologic examinations and biomechanical tests, in vivo models of osseointegration are necessary experimental tools for the continued empirical development of clinical implant applications.
Ankle flexor muscles in the cat: length-active tension and muscle unit properties as related to locomotion.

The mechanical properties of the whole muscle and fast-twitch muscle units of the cat hindlimb pretibial flexors have been explored and related to normal locomotion. Tibialis anterior (TA) is parallel-fibered and functionally crosses a single joint, the ankle, whereas extensor digitorum longus (EDL) is pinnate and spans the ankle, knee, metatarsophalangeal and interphalangeal joints. The active tetanic tension of TA remains near its peak value over a range of muscle lengths associated with normal ankle movement. In contrast, the length-tension curve of EDL is sharply peaked. However, normal corollary action of the knee, ankle and metatarsophalangeal joints during stepping minimizes EDL's excursion and maintains it at or near a length optimal for peak tension development. EDL is capable of producing synchronous but sterotyped digit and ankle movements while TA provides for independent ankle flexion at all relevant joint angles. The mechanical properties of 84 TA and 98 EDL fast-twitch muscle units were studied by measuring twitch contraction time (≤45 msec), peak tetanic tension, response to repetitive stimulation, and contractile fatigue resistance during electrical stimulation of single alpha axons, functionally isolated from ventral root filaments. These mechanical properties were essentially similar for both muscles with the exception of mean peak tetanic tension which was 30% lower for TA units (14 gm-wt) than for EDL units (20 gm-wt). A high proportion of units in both muscles demonstrated fatigue resistance which is reflective of the repetitive, phasic demand upon these muscles during locomotion.
The Design of a Sustainability Assessment Standard Using Life Cycle Information

Summary Sustainability assessment standards are currently being developed for a range of building products. This activity has been stimulated through the considerable success of the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED™ standard. Transparent life cycle–based standards can guide manufacturers to design products that have reduced environmental impact. The use of a sustainability standard can certify performance and avoid green washing. In this article we present a logical framework for designing a sustainability assessment standard through the creation of tables that award points in the standard to be consistent with life cycle information. Certain minimum principles of consistency are articulated. In the case that the life cycle impact assessment method maps the life cycle inventory to impact through a linear weighting, two design approaches—impact category and activity substitution—are constructed to be consistent with these principles. The approach is illustrated in a case study of a partial redesign of a carpet sustainability assessment standard (NSF/ANSI-140).
Theories of adaptation: what they do and don’t say

Theoretical work on adaptation has lagged behind experimental. But two classes of adaptation model have been partly explored. One is phenotypic and the other DNA sequence based. I briefly consider an example of each — Fisher’s geometric model and Gillespie’s mutational landscape model, respectively — reviewing recent results. Despite their fundamental differences, these models give rise to several strikingly similar results. I consider possible reasons for this congruence. I also emphasize what predictions do and, as important, do not follow from these models.
Evaluation of Modified Dietary Phosphorus Levels With and Without Phytase Supplementation on Live Performance and Fecal Phosphorus Levels in Broiler Diets. 1. Full-Term Feeding Recommendations

SUMMARY Based on preliminary studies conducted during periods of 0 to 3, 3 to 6, and 6 to 9 wk of age, four different phosphorus regimens were selected for use in long-term feeding trials. Using nonlinear regression, dietary levels of nonphytate phosphorus (NPP) were selected within each age period for 1) maximum body weight without phytase enzyme, 2) maximum body weight with phytase enzyme, 3) maximum tibia ash without phytase enzyme, and 4) maximum tibia ash with phytase enzyme. Two trials of identical design were conducted in which these regimes were compared to NRC recommendations for NPP. To evaluate the sensitivity of the P estimates, diets containing 0.05% above and below the estimates were also fed. Each diet was fed to six pens of 50 male chicks in each of two trials. Body weight, feed conversion, tibia ash, and fecal P content were determined at 21, 42, 53, and 63 d. Feeding levels estimated to maximize body weight, with or without phytase supplementation, supported body weight, feed utilization, and livability that did not differ significantly from birds fed NRC-recommended levels. Tibia ash was reduced in these birds, but no serious leg abnormalities were noted. Birds fed diets with NPP levels chosen to maximize tibia ash without the addition of phytase had tibia ash values that were significantly lower than those of birds fed the diets with NRC levels of NPP; increasing this level by 0.05% resulted in tibia ash content that did not differ significantly from that of birds fed NRC levels. Birds fed diets with NPP levels chosen to maximize tibia ash with the addition of phytase did not differ significantly in tibia ash content from those fed the diets based on NRC levels of NPP. Implementation of the modified levels of NPP could result in marked reductions in fecal P content.
Effect of dietary monensin on the bacterial population structure of dairy cattle colonic contents

To determine the effect of monensin, a carboxylic polyether ionophore antibiotic, on the bacterial population structure of dairy cattle colonic contents, we fed six lactating Holstein cows a diet containing monensin (600 mg day(-1)) or an identical diet without monensin. Fresh waste samples were taken directly from the animals once a month for 3 months and assayed for their bacterial population structure via 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. In total 6,912 16S rRNA genes were examined, comprising 345 and 315 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from the monensin fed and control animals, respectively. Coverage estimates of the OTUs identified were 87.6% for the monensin fed and 88.3% for the control colonic content derived library. Despite this high level of coverage, no significant difference was found between the libraries down to the genus level. Thus we concluded that although monensin is believed to increase milk production in dairy cattle by altering the bacterial population structure within the bovine gastrointestinal tract, we were unable to identify any significant difference in the bacterial population structure of the colonic contents of monensin fed vs. the control dairy cattle, down to the genus level.
Roundabouts in Northern New England, 1990 to 2010

Roundabouts are still emerging but are becoming more common as an intersection type in the United States. There is considerable pushback from the public, however, making it difficult to implement roundabouts in certain places. This study aims to develop a better understanding of the factors related to roundabout opposition in three states: Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The rejected and built roundabout locations were examined within the context of geography; spatial, temporal, physical, and societal factors were included. Results of the binary logistic regression model suggest that business density and percentage of residents 65 years old and older have the strongest positive association with the likelihood of a technically feasible roundabout being built. The strongest negative association with roundabout implementation is exposure as measured by time elapsed since the first successful roundabout in the state. Proximity to traffic circles and roundabouts does not have as strong a relationship with r...
Ethics as Discursive Potential

Therapeutic practice must be, above all, ethical. And, in most cases, what is designated as ethical is equated with what is legal and just. But what counts as ethics in a world of multiplicity, difference, and complexity? Shifting from the modernist world of certainty (where ethics codes are created) to a relational sensibility where complexity and uncertainty serve as guideposts, we also must release our grasp on the idea of a universal, decontextualised notion of ethics. A relational ethic directs our attention to how we might create opportunities for different conversations, conversations built on curiosity where we can search for local coherence. With an ethic of discursive potential, we can attempt to coordinate multiple moral orders and imagine a future that is relationally sensitive. We can harness the potential of coordinating differences to move beyond simple solutions, universal resolutions, and our desire to eliminate difference once and for all. In this article, I argue that an ethic of discursive potential sensitises us to the contextual and relational nuances of daily life and thereby avoids decontextualised legalised ethical judgments.
Dynamics for Integrative Social Contracts Theory: Norm Evolution and Individual Mobility

This article proposes a specific logic of dynamics for integrative social contracts theory (ISCT) that combines two empirically oriented process extensions strengthening concreteness of Donaldson and Dunfee’s conceptualization, namely (1) international policy regime theory and (2) Tiebout migration. While either would help “dynamize” and “concretize” ISCT, the two combined are even more insightful. Real-world policy regime processes can develop concrete action-guiding norms instantiating hypernorms to guide business decisions. Donaldson and Dunfee placed empirical reliance on expectation of converging parallel evolution of universal principles and authentic local values. ISCT remains vague on how global or local norms can develop and change, for two reasons. First, ISCT does not explain mechanisms for how proposed hypernorms can become actual global norms and also become accepted across extant authentic communities. International policy regime theory explains how hypernorms can become instantiated as global norms expressed in policy regimes. Second, a basic element in ISCT is implied consent positing free exit from voluntary moral communities. Empirically, individuals or businesses may be unable to exit from undesired membership in authentic communities to which they do not consent. The Tiebout migration model provides valuable insights concerning how substantive mobility or its absence improves on the minimum ISCT assumption of implied consent. An integrated logic of ISCT dynamics generates a three-level framework in which instantiated hypernorms and authentic community (microsocial) norms can empirically change, and individuals or businesses can migrate more freely across extant communities.
Comparison of cisplatin (CDDP) and radiation (RT) to cetuximab (C) and RT for locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC): A preliminary analysis

6042 Background: Both concurrent CDDP/RT and C/RT have been shown in randomized trials to yield superior disease control compared to RT alone in LAHNC, but no randomized trial has compared them. We...
Scope as Syntactic Abstraction

What is the logic of scope? By “scope”, I mean scope-taking in natural languages such as English, as illustrated by the sentence Ann saw everyone. In this example, the quantifier denoted by everyone takes scope over the rest of the sentence, that is, it takes the denotation of the rest of the sentence as its semantic argument: \(\mathbf{everyone }(\lambda x . \mathbf{saw } (x)(\mathbf{ann }))\). The answer I will give here will be to provide a substructural logic whose two modes are related by a single structural postulate. This postulate can be interpreted as constituting a kind of lambda-abstraction over structures, where the abstracted structures are interpreted as delimited continuations. I discuss soundness and completeness results, as well as cut elimination. I also compare the logic to a number of alternative approaches, including the standard technique of Quantifier Raising, and mention applications to scope ambiguity and parasitic scope.
Ion-assisted Laser Deposition of CaF2 thin Films onto Ccold Substrates

Thin CaF2 films were grown at low temperatures (20°C) using an ion-beamassisted laser evaporation method. Smooth, dense, environmentally stable coatings with bulk refractive indices were produced. This technique was applied to deposit mid-wave IR dichroic filters using CaF2 and Ge layers onto cold substrates.
NATURAL SELECTION ON MORPHOLOGICAL PHENOTYPES OF THE LIZARD UTA STANSBURIANA.

Reptiles can be used to demonstrate natural selection because characteristics of their scales can be easily and objectively quantified. Since scale patterns and numbers are, in general, unique to each species within a reptilian community, they are thought to be genetically determined. Variation of scale characters, therefore, presumably reflects genetic variation (but see also Fox et al., 1961). Comparison of character distributions in adults and juveniles usually reveals that juveniles are more variable (Dunn, 1915; Inger, 1943; Mertens, 1947; Hecht, 1952). It is assumed that the phenotypic extremes present in the juvenile population suffer selective mortality and are thus absent from the adult population. This assumption requires the distribution of phenotypes in the adult population when it was juvenile to be the same as the juvenile population in the comparison. Unfortunately, no studies have yet been done on reptiles which directly document the selective mortality of particular phenotypes (as in birds, Bumpus, 1899), nor have juveniles of various phenotypes been followed over their development to observe natural selection directly. This study quantifies natural selection acting through differential survivorship of juveniles of the desert side-blotched lizard, Uta stansburiana stejnegeri. Morphological data were gathered for a "vertical" comparison (Deevey, 1947) from adults and juveniles collected simultaneously, and for a "horizontal" comparison from a juvenile cohort monitored over time. I hypothesized
Online Bellman residual and temporal difference algorithms with predictive error guarantees

We establish connections from optimizing Bellman Residual and Temporal Difference Loss to worst-case long-term predictive error. In the online learning framework, learning takes place over a sequence of trials with the goal of predicting a future discounted sum of rewards. Our first analysis shows that, together with a stability assumption, any no-regret online learning algorithm that minimizes Bellman error ensures small prediction error. Our second analysis shows that applying the family of online mirror descent algorithms on temporal difference loss also ensures small prediction error. No statistical assumptions are made on the sequence of observations, which could be non-Markovian or even adversarial. Our approach thus establishes a broad new family of provably sound algorithms and provides a generalization of previous worst-case results for minimizing predictive error. We investigate the potential advantages of some of this family both theoretically and empirically on benchmark problems.
Field evaluation of reduced-growth, glyphosate-resistant Kentucky bluegrass in competitive and noncompetitive settings

Reduced-growth, glyphosate-resistant Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) has recently been developed. There has been no comparative analysis of the newly developed transgenic Kentucky bluegrass lines to reference cultivars or tissue culture control lines to determine vegetative and flower characteristic differences and similarities. This study measured the vegetative and reproductive characteristics of the transgenic lines, tissue culture control lines, and reference cultivars during 2004 and 2005, in Ames, IA. The study was conducted in a noncompetitive, nonmown, spaced plant setting. Data collection of vegetative characteristics included rhizome proliferation and total plant area. Data collection ________________________ Graduate Research Assistant, Assistant Professor, and University Professor, Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011. Corresponding author’s E-mail: nchris@iastate.edu.
Investigating compositional effects of atomic layer deposition ternary dielectric Ti-Al-O on metal-insulator-semiconductor heterojunction capacitor structure for gate insulation of InAlN/GaN and AlGaN/GaN

Gate insulation/surface passivation in AlGaN/GaN and InAlN/GaN heterojunction field-effect transistors is a major concern for passivation of surface traps and reduction of gate leakage current. However, finding the most appropriate gate dielectric materials is challenging and often involves a compromise of the required properties such as dielectric constant, conduction/valence band-offsets, or thermal stability. Creating a ternary compound such as Ti-Al-O and tailoring its composition may result in a reasonably good gate material in terms of the said properties. To date, there is limited knowledge of the performance of ternary dielectric compounds on AlGaN/GaN and even less on InAlN/GaN. To approach this problem, the authors fabricated metal-insulator-semiconductor heterojunction (MISH) capacitors with ternary dielectrics Ti-Al-O of various compositions, deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The film deposition was achieved by alternating cycles of TiO2 and Al2O3 using different ratios of ALD cycles. TiO2 was also deposited as a reference sample. The electrical characterization of the MISH capacitors shows an overall better performance of ternary compounds compared to the pure TiO2. The gate leakage current density decreases with increasing Al content, being ∼2–3 orders of magnitude lower for a TiO2:Al2O3 cycle ratio of 2:1. Although the dielectric constant has the highest value of 79 for TiO2 and decreases with increasing the number of Al2O3 cycles, it is maintaining a relatively high value compared to an Al2O3 film. Capacitance voltage sweeps were also measured in order to characterize the interface trap density. A decreasing trend in the interface trap density was found while increasing Al content in the film. In conclusion, our study reveals that the desired high-κ properties of TiO2 can be adequately maintained while improving other insulator performance factors. The ternary compounds may be an excellent choice as a gate material for both AlGaN/GaN and InAlN/GaN based devices.
Numerical and experimental investigation of a biomimetic robotic jellyfish actuated by Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite

A biomimetic jellyfish robot is explored. The robot will be actuated by Ionic Polymer-Metal Composites arranged in a silicone dome. Computational Analysis is used to optimize thrust production by the jellyfish robot. Preliminary experiments will be conducted to analyze the deformation, thrust, displacement, and velocity. The two analyses will be compared to further optimize the design.
Remediation of Flow-Through Trout Raceway Effluent via Aquaponics

AbstractProduction and nutrient removal were assessed for three vegetable crops (kohlrabi, lettuce, and Swiss chard) and two edible flowers (calendula and nasturtium) grown entirely on effluent from a flow-through trout raceway. Soluble nutrient concentrations in the effluent averaged 0.56 and 0.19 mg/L for total nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphate, respectively. Seeds were sown into Styrofoam trays filled with vermiculite and placed directly into the plant growing channels. Lettuce was harvested at 6, 9, and 12 weeks for a total mean harvest biomass of 4.5 kg/m2. Kohlrabi and Swiss chard were harvested at 12 weeks, with a mean harvest biomass of 15.4 and 7.5 kg/m2, respectively. Harvest biomass of kohlrabi was significantly greater than that of lettuce or Swiss chard. Nasturtium flowers were harvested at 9 and 12 weeks, while calendula did not begin to produce flowers until 12 weeks. There were no significant differences in percent removal of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrate, or phosphate at 6 w...
Towards a theory of choice poetics.

Digital games that include narrative often let their players influence it, and this is seen as a highly desirable quality in some genres. This influence often takes the form of explicit choices within a fixed layout of branching plot lines. Traditional narrative theory does not suffice when analyzing how these game-stories function, because it has nothing to say about how players interacting with a narrative are affected by choice structures. Drawing on narrative theory, link poetics, procedural rhetoric, and craft advice, this paper introduces the outline of a novel theory of choice poetics: a framework for understanding the narrative effect of choices. Choice poetics covers modes of engagement, choice idioms, and dimensions of player experience affected by choice structure, and concrete examples are given to illustrate each case. This work provides a preliminary framework for talking about the effect of choice structures on phenomena such as agency and immersion, as well as situating craft advice such as “avoid false choices” within a larger theoretical framework that helps explain it. At the same time, it indicates several areas ripe for future theoretical and empirical work that could produce specific insights into how choices affect players.
Acuity-Based Scheduling: Outcomes in Ambulatory Oncology Centers.

With an increase in the number of patients with cancer receiving treatment in the ambulatory setting, a need exists to evaluate lean approaches to provide safe, effective, and timely care delivery. Acuity-based scheduling (ABS) was implemented across the regional ambulatory care centers of a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. ABS involved templates and a reconfiguration of clinical space and staff according to acuity levels. Results suggest improvement in wait times, capacity, infusion hours, chair use rate, patient visits, chair turns, average infusion length, and patient satisfaction. .