025.431: The Dewey blog

Norman Borlaug and Wheat Stem Rust

Since his death in September, there have been news stories about Norman Borlaug, e.g., an obituary from the Telegraph that begins:

Norman Borlaug, who died on September 12 aged 95, won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his achievement in promoting the use of more productive cereal strains in order to feed the world’s vast population of the starving; his efforts to introduce hybrid cereal varieties into agricultural production in Pakistan, India, Mexico and other developing countries are estimated to have saved about a thousand million people from dying of hunger.

Borlaug spent his life on the borders of traditional agriculture and biotechnology and stood at the centre of the greatest and most dramatic success stories in world farming — the so-called “Green Revolution” of the 1960s. Perhaps more than anyone else, he was responsible for the fact that throughout the postwar era, except in sub-Saharan Africa, global food production has expanded faster than the human population, averting the mass starvations that were once widely predicted.

But Borlaug’s “Green Revolution” was not “green” in the modern sense. High yields demanded artificial fertiliser, chemical pesticides and new soil technology. As a result of this he was vilified by many in the environmental movement . . . .

Norman Borlaug spent his life in agricultural research and dealt with many aspects of technical agriculture.  His comprehensive biography number is 630.92 Agriculture—biography (built with 63 from 630 Agriculture and related technologies plus T1—092 Persons). (In the table of preference at the start of Table 1, T1—092 Persons is higher than T1—07 Education, research, related topics.)  An example of a work classed in 630.92 is The Man Who Fed the World: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug and His Battle to End World Hunger: An Authorized Biography.

There is not space in this blog entry to cover all the specific aspects of agricultural technology touched by Norman Borlaug; two closely related examples will have to suffice.  (There is also not space to consider the social, economic, and environmental aspects—fortunate and unfortunate—of the Green Revolution.)   Late in his life Borlaug was fighting a new outbreak of wheat stem rust.  The May 2009 issue of Science ran a story, “The Famine Fighter's Last Battle,” that began:

On a cold, January morning in 2005, a small plane landed outside the town of Njoro, Kenya, where a handful of scientists waited eagerly as the plane taxied. After the propellers stopped, an old man slowly climbed out and walked across the grassy airstrip. Norman Borlaug, then 91, had come from Nairobi to examine for himself the impact of a highly virulent race of stem rust, called Ug99, a plant pathogen that had recently crossed the border from Uganda and was now threatening wheat farmers around the world.

Few living people—scientists or farmers—had had any experience with outbreaks of stem rust. To Borlaug, however, it was a familiar enemy. After epidemics had devastated wheat fields in Mexico in the 1940s, Borlaug, who was working at an agricultural experiment station in Mexico, bred new varieties of wheat that could resist the disease. These varieties were a key component of the green revolution of the 1960s, helping to boost wheat yields in Mexico and avert famine in India, Pakistan, and elsewhere. Ever since, the world had seemed safe from stem rust. Now, the energetic, tenacious, Nobel Peace Prize–winner is trying once more to defeat the threat.

The Borlaug Global Rust Initiative carries on the work.  In June the Los Angeles Times ran an article entitled “A ‘Time Bomb’ for World Wheat Crop” that began:

The Ug99 fungus, called stem rust, could wipe out more than 80% of the world's wheat crops as it spreads from Africa, scientists fear. The race is on to breed resistant plants before it reaches the U.S.

The DDC number for wheat stem rust fungus is 633.119492 Wheat rusts (built with 633.11 Wheat plus 9 Injuries, diseases, pests from add table under 633–635 Specific plant crops, following footnote instruction at 633.11, plus 4 from 632.4 Fungus diseases, following add instruction at 9 in the add table, plus 92 from 579.592 Uredinales [Rusts], following the add instruction at 632.4).  An example of a work classed in 633.119492 is Stem Rust of Wheat.

The DDC number for breeding new wheat varieties based on studies of their genetics (as well as genetic engineering of new wheat varieties) is 633.11233 Agricultural genetics of wheat (built with 633.11 Wheat plus 233 from 631.5233 Agricultural genetics, following instructions at 1–6 Cultivation and harvesting from add table under 633–635).  An example of a work classed in 633.11233 is Genes for Rust Resistance in Wheat.

Wind Power

News articles like “Wind Could Meet China's Electricity Needs by 2030: Study” and “Could Wind Power China’s Energy Future?” appeared in response to a report in the September 11 issue of Science, “Potential for Wind-Generated Electricity in China.” The Science article reports on a study that covers a range of factors, including meteorology, economics, and government policies.  The abstract reads in part:

Wind fields derived from assimilated meteorological data are used to assess the potential for wind-generated electricity in China subject to the existing government-approved bidding process for new wind farms. Assuming a guaranteed price of 0.516 RMB (7.6 U.S. cents) per kilowatt-hour for delivery of electricity to the grid over an agreed initial average period of 10 years, it is concluded that wind could accommodate all of the demand for electricity projected for 2030, about twice current consumption.

The interdisciplinary number for wind power is 333.92 Air, a subdivision of 333.9 Other natural resources.  The entry for 333.92 has the class-here note: “Class here wind energy, use of wind for generation of electricity.”  An example of a work classed in 333.92 is Wind Energy—The Facts: A Guide to the Technology, Economics and Future of Wind Power.  Because of the class-here note, wind energy approximates the whole of 333.92, and further addition is possible.  For example, Wind Power in Europe: Politics, Business and Society is classed in 333.92094 Wind energy in Europe, built with 333.92 Air plus T1—09 Geographic treatment plus T2—4 Europe (as instructed at T1—093–T1—099 Treatment by specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds).  Because of the add footnote at 333.92 (“Add as instructed under 333.7-333.9”), it is necessary to check the entry 01–09 Standard subdivisions in the add table at 333.7–333.9 Natural resources and energy to be sure that there are no special instructions for standard subdivisions.

Works on the technology of wind-powered generation of electricity are classed in 621.312136 Wind-powered generation.  (There is a note at 621.45 Wind engines: “Class wind-powered generation of electricity in 621.312136.”)  An example of a work classed in 621.312136 is Homebrew Wind Power: A Hands-On Guide to Harnessing the Wind.

Summer Is Over, but the Memory Lingers On

In the U.S. it’s traditional to take a vacation sometime during the summer months of June, July, or August.  And so it was as friends would mention where they had just returned from that they would in turn ask if I were going somewhere interesting.  I had to admit that my only plans were to take a few days off around Labor Day, the traditional end to summer in the U.S.  According to some of my friends, that just simply wasn’t a vacation at all, because it was already a holiday.  (Note:  The word “holiday” has at least two senses.  According to sense 1, holidays are vacations and represent personal leisure time; where some people [e.g., Americans] take vacations, others go on holiday.   According to sense 2, holidays are times that are fixed institutionally [e.g., by a governmental or ecclesiastical body].  My mini-vacation was a holiday in both senses.)  The short time period demanded that more be packed into a smaller amount of time.  But not to fear—I’m not going to try to convince you that that’s the case, but will highlight only two of the activities I undertook.

As a cultural institution, vacations are classed in 306.48125 Vacations (Holidays).  Labor Day is classed in 394.264 Holidays of September, October, November, where it is in standing room.  In contrast, some holidays, e.g., Halloween and Thanksgiving, approximate the whole of their respective classes and thus permit the addition of standard subdivisions and other number building techniques.   Note:  Sense 1 of “holiday” shows up in the context of 306.48125 Vacations (Holidays), while sense 2 of “holiday” shows up in the context of 394.26 Holidays. 

Activity one:  hiking in the Shenandoah National Park.  One hike, on a path “less traveled by,” brought us in near proximity to the local wildlife in the form of an American black bear.  Fortunately the bear was no more eager to make our acquaintance than we were to make his (or maybe it was hers).  By the time I spotted the bear, it had climbed a tree about 15 yards/meters away; it then scampered back down the tree and took off in the opposite direction from us.  We went singing on our way to let the bear know where we were, so it could continue to stay away!

General works on hiking are classed in 796.51 Walking; works on hiking the part of the Shenandoah National Park we were in are classed in 796.5220975594 (796.522 Walking and exploring mountains, hills, rocks plus T1—09 Geographic treatment plus T2—75594 Page County as instructed at T1—093–T1—099 Treatment by specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds; comprehensive works on Shenandoah National Park use T2—7559 Northwestern region of Virginia; works on the specific area of the park that we hiked in use T2—75594 Page County).  The interdisciplinary number for the Ursus americanus (American black bear) is 599.785.

Activity two:  visiting the other LC--the first is the Library of Congress; the second is Luray Caverns.  The caverns contain a one-of-a-kind musical instrument, built after Leland Sprinkle had the idea of using the tones created by tapping the stalactites in the caverns in the operation of an organ.  The resulting instrument, the Great Stalacpipe Organ, is said to be the largest musical instrument in the world:  the organ’s keyboards control mallets that strike stalactites spread out over an area of 3.5 acres (ca. 15,000 meters square).

The Luray Caverns are classed in 551.4470975594 (551.447 Caves and related features plus T1—09 Geographic treatment plus T2—75594 Page County as instructed at T1—093–T1—099 Treatment by specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds).  While the prototypical organ is classed in 786.5 Keyboard wind instruments, the Great Stalacpipe Organ is, in contrast, a lithophone, which classes with other percussion instruments in 786.83 Keyboard idiophones.

A sanitarium named “Limair” was built over the caverns.  Air from the caverns circulated through the sanitarium, with a complete exchange of air taking place every four minutes.  It is claimed that Limair was the first (1901) air-conditioned home in the United States. (It may seem odd to speak of this as air-conditioning.  The “conditioning” takes place as air is filtered naturally through the limestone walls of the caverns; no additional filtering took place as the shaft-and-fan system drew the air into the sanitarium.) 

Air conditioning in sanatoriums (“sanitarium” and “sanatorium” are alternate spellings of the same word) is classed in 697.93551 (697.93 Air conditioning + 551 General hospital and sanatorium buildings from 725.51, following instructions at 697.935-697.938).

Forest Fires

The Station fire—a forest fire in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles, California—has been in the news since it began August 26, 2009.  Fire officials expect it to be contained soon.

Browsing the Relative Index for “Forest fires” yields the following:

Forest fires                                    363.379
Forest fires—forestry                  634.9618
Forest fires—social services      363.379

Since a Relative Index entry with no subdivision identifies the interdisciplinary number for a topic, interdisciplinary works on forest fires are classed in 363.379 Fire hazards in specific situations.  Social services aspects of forest fires are also classed in 363.379. Since “forest fires” are named in an including note at 363.379 (“Including fire hazards in high-rise buildings, schools, transportation; forest fires”), nothing can be added. Examples of works classed in 363.379 are Wildfire! The 1871 Peshtigo Firestorm and The Experience of Community Residents in a Fire-Prone Ecosystem: A Case Study on the San Bernardino National Forest.

Works on the forestry technology aspects of forest fires are classed in 634.9618 Forest fire technology (built with 634.96 Injury, diseases, pests in forestry plus 18 from 632.18 Fire damage to plants, as instructed at 634.96).  For example, Ecological Foundations for Fire Management in North American Forest and Shrubland Ecosystems is classed in 634.9618097 Forest fire technology in North America (634.9618 plus T1—09 Geographic treatment plus T2—7 North America as instructed at T1—093–T1—099 Treatment by specific continents, countries, localities; extraterrestrial worlds).

EPC Meeting 131

Giles Martin took the photo of EPC at OCLC on June 12, 2009.  Standing, from left to right: Andrea Kappler (Evansville Vanderburgh [IN] Public Library), Sandra Singh (University of British Columbia), Lyn McKinney (Billings [MT] Senior High School), and Welna van Eeden (University of South Africa); seated, from left to right: Karl Debus-López (Library of Congress, standing in for Beacher Wiggins), David Farris (Library and Archives Canada), EPC Vice-Chair Anne Robertson (Australian Committee on Cataloguing), and Deborah Rose-Lefmann (Northwestern University).

It seems like forever since I’ve written something here, and I’m suppressing the urge to report chronologically on my activities since the last time you heard from me (so stay tuned for reports on three very interesting meetings [one in Houston and two in Vienna] in which I participated back in April).  Today, I’m jumping forward to last week with a quick summary of Meeting 131 of the Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee (EPC), which was held June 10-12 at OCLC.  The meeting was chaired by EPC Vice-Chair Anne Robertson (Australian Committee on Cataloguing).  EPC Chair Caroline Kent (British Library) and new EPC member Jonathan Furner (UCLA [and yes, former DDC assistant editor and creator of 025.431: The Dewey blog]) were unable to attend in person, but e-mailed voluminous comments that were considered by the committee during the meeting.

EPC reviewed the full version of Table 1 (Standard Subdivisions).  One provision was postponed for discussion at Meeting 132 in November 2009: the use of T1—0286 Waste technology to represent green technology.  We'll have more to say about that issue once we sort out the ripple effects throughout the schedules.  In Table 2 (Geographic Areas, Historical Periods, Persons), EPC looked mostly to the past in reviewing provisions for the ancient world in T2—3.  Some of the ancient world proposals have implications for the modern world versions of the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, Asia Minor, and Turkey.  EPC also approved some adjustments to German administrative units proposed by colleagues at Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, plus the placement of the Barents Sea region, North Calotte, and Sápmi (Lapland).  EPC approved the full version of Table 3 (Subdivisions for the Arts, for Individual Literatures, for Specific Literary Forms), and an expansion for Hakka (Han Chinese who speak Hakka dialect) in Table 5 (Ethnic and National Groups).

EPC approved updates in the following schedules: 004-006 Computer science, 200 Religion, 300 Social sciences, 301-307 Sociology and anthropology, 320 Political science, 330 Economics, 340 Law, 400 Language, 610 Medicine and health, 780 Music, 800 Literature, and 960 History of Africa.  EPC reviewed preliminary versions of 640 Home and family management, 690 Buildings, 710 Civic and landscape art, and 720 Architecture.  On the recommendation of EPC, we plan to post the sewing and clothing sections of 646 shortly for outside comment.  EPC also reviewed a preliminary proposal for updates to sections of 372.3-372.8 Elementary education in specific subjects.  In addition to comments from members and observers on the private EPC mailing list, EPC’s deliberations were informed by reports from the working groups associated with the European DDC Users’ Group (EDUG) in the areas of law, education, archaeology, and technical issues.

EPC reviewed several research initiatives from the OCLC Office of Research and the Dewey editorial team, plus the latest draft specification for Dewey Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs).  We’ll be back with more information on these initiatives later.

EPC scheduled a follow-up electronic Meeting 131A (to be held August 3-28, 2009), during which the committee will address use of the term “encompassing” in the DDC, plus minor issues in 400, 710, and 780.  Meeting 132 will be held November 16-17, 2009, at the Library of Congress.

One other major Dewey event took place last week—June 12 was the last day for updating Dewey data in the current Editorial Support System (ESS).  The new ESS, along with new data formats based on the MARC classification and authority formats, is scheduled to be launched on July 5 (another reason for our recent periods of silence on this blog).  Rebecca wrote a bit about the new ESS last month—watch for more reports shortly.

Baby Animals

Spring brings news of baby animals, e.g., fawns (“Fawns Pop Up in Backyards around Washtenaw County” and “Wild Sunday II: Look Close”) or chicks (“Hatching a Love”).

Interdisciplinary works on all kinds of baby animals and comprehensive works on baby wild animals are both classed in 591.39 Young animals, a subdivision of 590 Animals.  The Relative Index entry is “Baby animals 591.39.” Examples of works classed in 591.39 are Wild Babies and Small Babies. 

Comprehensive works on baby domestic animals are classed in 636.07 Young of animals, a subdivision of 636 Animal husbandry.  The Relative Index entry is “Baby animals—domestic animals 636.07.”  An example of a work classed in 636.07 is Animal Babies on the Farm.

Works on fawns are classed in 599.65139 Fawns, a built number to which the LCSH “Fawns” has been editorially mapped in WebDewey.  The number 599.65139 Fawns is built with 599.65 Cervidae (Deer) plus 1 General topics of natural history of animals from the add table at 592–599 Specific taxonomic groups of animals, following the footnote add instruction at 599.65, plus 39 from 591.39 Young animals, following add instruction at 1 General topics of natural history of animals in the add table at 592–599. An example of a work classed in 599.65139 is Fawns.

Works on baby chickens are classed in 636.507 Chicks, a number built with 636.5 Poultry    Chickens plus 0 plus 7 from 636.07 Young of animals, following add instruction at 636.5001–636.508 Standard subdivisions, specific topics of husbandry of poultry.  An example of a work classed in 636.507 Chicks is A Chick Grows Up.

Diabetes Type 1 and 2

In addition to clarifying the scope of pediatrics and adolescent medicine, the May 2009 posting of New and Changed Entries presents two new numbers, subdivisions of 616.462 *Diabetes mellitus:

616.462 2            *Diabetes mellitus, type 1 (Insulin-dependent diabetes)

616.462 4            *Diabetes mellitus, type 2 (Non-insulin-dependent diabetes)

*Add as instructed under 616.1–616.9

An example of the kind of work that will be classed in 616.4622 Diabetes mellitus, type 1 (Insulin-dependent diabetes) is Type 1 Diabetes in Adults: Principles and Practice.  Incidentally, the LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Heading) “Diabetes” is used for comprehensive works on type 1 and type 2 diabetes and is also used for type 1 diabetes alone.  The MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) heading is “Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1.”

An example of the kind of work that will be classed in 616.4624 Diabetes mellitus, type 2 (Non-insulin-dependent diabetes) is The Type 2 Diabetes Sourcebook.  The LCSH “Non-insulin-dependent diabetes” is used for type 2 diabetes.  The MeSH heading is “Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2.”

Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

In a March 2008 blog entry the Dewey editorial team and the Decimal Classification Editorial Policy Committee (EPC) sought advice about treatment of pediatrics and adolescent medicine in DDC.  Here is an excerpt from the blog:

The scope of 618.92 Pediatrics is defined by the first three notes in the entry:

Medicine for infants and children up to puberty

Class here comprehensive works on child and adolescent medicine

For medicine for young people who have reached puberty, see 616.00835

The problem is that many other definitions of the scope of pediatrics include young people past puberty.

. . . . .

Is the broader definition of pediatrics that includes adolescents widespread in the world? Should we broaden the scope of 618.92 Pediatrics to match?

Responses were mixed.  In the end the decision was to retain the current definition of pediatrics in DDC and provide additional schedule entries, notes, and Relative Index entries to clarify how works on pediatrics and adolescent medicine should be classed.  The May 2009 posting of New and Changed Entries presents the material added to clarify the scope of pediatrics and adolescent medicine. 

Here is a brief guide to classifying works on pediatrics and adolescent medicine.  Works on (1) medicine for infants and children up to puberty and (2) comprehensive works on child and adolescent medicine are both classed in 618.92 Pediatrics.  An example of a work classed in 618.92 Pediatrics is Practical Guide to the Care of the Pediatric Patient. 

Works limited to adolescent medicine are classed in 616.00835, a number built with 616 Diseases plus standard subdivision T1—0835 Young people twelve to twenty.  The extra zero comes from following the pattern at 616.008 History and description with respect to kinds of persons. With the May 2009 posting, the built number 616.00835 has an entry in the schedule, with notes:

616.008 35    Young people twelve to twenty

Do not use for diseases of young people twelve to twenty who have not reached puberty; class in 618.92

Class here adolescent medicine

An example of a work classed in 616.00835 is Adolescent Health Care: A Practical Guide.

Works on a specific disease or branch of medicine are classed in subdivisions of 618.92 Pediatrics if they cover (1) infants and children up to puberty or (2) both children and adolescents.  For example, works on cancer in children, or on cancer in children and adolescents, are classed in 618.92994 Pediatric cancer, a built number with the Relative Index entry “Cancer—humans—pediatrics.”  The number 618.92994 is built with 618.92 Pediatrics plus 994 from 616.994 Cancers, following instructions under 618.921–618.929 Specific diseases.  An example of a work classed in 618.92994 is Pediatric Oncology.

Works on a specific disease or branch of medicine are classed with the disease or branch in 610 Medicine and health if limited in coverage to adolescents.  If the topic approximates the whole of the number, the standard subdivision T1—0835 Young people twelve to twenty is added.  For example, works on cancer in adolescents are classed in 616.99400835 Cancer in young people twelve to twenty, a built number with the Relative Index entry “Cancer—humans—adolescent medicine.”  The number is built with 616.994 Cancers plus T1—0835 Young people twelve to twenty, following the footnote instruction at 616.994 to “Add as instructed under 618.1–618.8.”   The extra zero comes from following the pattern for standard subdivision notation 00835 Young people twelve to twenty given in the add table under 618.1–618.8 Gynecology and obstetrics.  (Why does the footnote at 616.994 Cancers instruct one to add from 618.1–618.8 instead of 616.1–616.9?  Because that is a convenient way to provide for the full range of treatments needed for cancer: the add table at 616.1–616.9 does not provide for surgery as a treatment and the add table at 618.1–618.8 does.)  An example of a work classed in 616.99400835 is Cancer and the Adolescent.

2009 Influenza A (H1N1) (Swine Flu)

The 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) (Swine Flu) has been in the news, e.g., “Swine Flu” and “WHO Says H1N1 Flu Cases, Death Toll Rise.”  Informative web sites have appeared, e.g., 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu).

In a May 2006 blog entitled “Bird Flu,” we made several points about DDC treatment of influenza A (H5N1) that apply also to DDC treatment of 2009 Influenza A (H1N1).  The key point is that “the DDC medicine schedule does not make fine distinctions based on the type of virus nor on the origin of the virus; rather, it treats all influenza in a particular animal the same.”  The comprehensive number in medicine for influenza in humans (the number with the Relative Index entry “Influenza—medicine”) is 616.203 Influenza.  That is true regardless of what kind of virus causes the influenza.  An example of a work classed in 616.203 is Influenza.

Works discussing details about one or more types or subtypes of viruses that cause influenza in humans are classed in 616.203019 Medical virology of influenza (built with 616.203 Influenza plus notation 019 Medical virology from the add table under 616.1–616.9 Specific diseases, following the footnote instruction at 616.203, “Add as instructed under 616.1–616.9”).  An example of a work classed in 616.203019 is Influenza Virology: Current Topics. 

Works about use of drugs to treat influenza in humans are classed in 616.203061 Drug therapy for influenza (built with 616.203 Influenza plus notation 061 Drug therapy from the add table under 616.1–616.9 Specific diseases, following the footnote instruction, “Add as instructed under 616.1–616.9”).  An example of a work classed in 616.203061 is Zanamivir for the Treatment of Influenza in Adults: A Systematic Review and Economic Evaluation.

Incidence of influenza in humans and vaccination to prevent influenza in humans are both classed in 614.518 Influenza.  How does one know?  The first clue is obvious: the Relative Index entry “Influenza—incidence” leads to 614.518.   The second clue is more subtle.  The Relative Index entry “Vaccination—disease control” leads to 614.47 Immunization, which has the note: “Class here vaccination.”  Above 614.47 in the hierarchy, at 614.4 Incidence of and public measures to prevent disease, is the see reference: “For incidence of and public measures to prevent specific diseases and kinds of diseases, see 614.5.”  The see reference has hierarchical force; consequently, works on immunization for a specific disease are classed with the disease under 614.5 Incidence of and public measures to prevent specific diseases and kinds of diseases.  There are also other clues.  If one follows the Relative Index entry “Vaccines—pharmacology” to 615.372 Vaccines, one finds the class-elsewhere note: “Class use of specific vaccines with the disease in 614.5, e.g., use of influenza vaccines 614.518.” If one looks at the add table under 616.1-616.9 Specific diseases and considers using notation 05 Preventive measures, one finds the class-elsewhere note: “Class public measures for preventing a specific disease, use of specific vaccines with the disease in 614.5, e.g., mosquito control for prevention of malaria 614.532, use of influenza vaccines 614.518.” Examples of works classed in 614.518 Influenza are Global Spread of the Avian Flu: Issues and Actions and Immunization Safety Review: Influenza Vaccines and Neurological Complications.

Comprehensive works on drug therapy and vaccination for influenza in humans are classed in 616.203061 Drug therapy for influenza.  How does one know?  The first indication is the Relative Index entry that marks 616.203 as the comprehensive number in medicine for influenza: “Influenza—medicine.”  Second, see references mark 616+ as logically superordinate to 614.5+.  At 616 Diseases is a see reference to 614.4: “For incidence of and public measures to prevent disease, see 614.4.”  The see reference implies that 614.4 is logically a subdivision of 616.  The see reference from 614.4 to 614.5 quoted above similarly indicates that 614.5 is logically a subdivision of 614.4.  In other words, 616 is superordinate to 614.4, which in turn is superordinate to 614.5.  Because see references have hierarchical force, what is true of 616 is also true of 616.203061.  Because of the hierarchical relationships marked by see references, the first-of-two rule does not apply to a choice between 614.518 and 616.203061.  An example of a work classed in 616.203061 is Combating the Threat of Pandemic Influenza: Drug Discovery Approaches.

Cattle Genome

The cattle genome has been in the news recently, e.g., “Cattle Genome Sequenced” and “Bovine Genome Could Lead To Better Meat For Consumers, Experts Say.” A quotation from the latter article:  “The researchers used the complete sequence from a single Hereford cow and comparative genome sequences for six more breeds, looking for changes called single nucleotide polymorphisms – SNPs – markers that can help researchers identify favorable traits.” Related papers include “Genetics: It's a Bull's Market,” “The Genome Sequence of Taurine Cattle: A Window to Ruminant Biology and Evolution,” “Genome-Wide Survey of SNP Variation Uncovers the Genetic Structure of Cattle Breeds” (all in Science), and “A Whole-Genome Assembly of the Domestic Cow, Bos Taurus” in Genome Biology.  There is also a special series from BioMedCentral: Bovine: The Companion Papers for the Publication of the Bovine Genome Sequence.

Where might one begin looking for DDC numbers for the cattle genome?  One might browse the Relative Index in WebDewey for “cattle”:

Cattle       636.2
Cattle—agricultural economics       338.1762
Cattle—animal husbandry       636.2
. . . . .
Cattle—zoology       599.6422

The number opposite the unsubdivided entry for cattle is both the interdisciplinary number for cattle and the animal husbandry number for cattle: 636.2 Ruminants and Camelidae    Bovidae    Cattle.  The record for the zoology number for cattle—599.6422 Bos (Oxen)—has the note: “Class interdisciplinary works on Bos taurus (domestic cattle) in 636.2.”  Clearly 636.2 is a good number for works that emphasize domestic cattle, including interdisciplinary works that have some discussion about wild ancestors of domestic cattle.

One might also browse the Relative Index for “genetics”:

Genetics       576.5
Genetics
      see Manual at  576.5 vs. 572.8         
Genetics—animal husbandry       636.0821
Genetics—animal husbandry—sheep       636.30821
Genetics—animals       591.35
. . . . . .

Although the interdisciplinary number for genetics is in biology (576.5 Genetics), the comprehensive number for genetics in animal husbandry is 636.0821 Genetics.

In biology there is a split between the interdisciplinary number 576.5 Genetics and 572.8 Biochemical genetics.  The distinction is explained in the Manual entry 576.5 vs. 572.8 Genetics vs. Biochemical genetics.  Genomes are classed with biochemical genetics in 572.86 DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), where there is a note: “Class here chromosomal DNA, codons, genes, genomes.”  For example, works on genomes of sponges are classed in 572.86134 DNA of sponges.  The number is built with 572.86 DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) plus 1 from 571.1 Animals, as instructed under 572.5–572.8 Specific biochemicals and biochemical genetics, plus 34 from 593.4 Porifera (Sponges) as instructed at 571.1.  An example of a work classed in 572.86134 is Genome Organization in Sponges. 

In animal husbandry, general genetics and biochemical genetics are classed together in 636.0821 Genetics or in other subdivisions of 636 Animal husbandry.  Examples of works classed in 636.0821 are Chromosome Mapping of Some Genes in Farm Animals by In Situ Hybridization and Genome Analysis in Domestic Animals.

According to the rule of zero, for works about genetics of cattle, 636.2 Ruminants and Camelidae    Bovidae    Cattle is preferred over 636.0821 Genetics.  The heading at 636.2 is a dual heading—actually, a triple heading, with three parts. Further addition is possible for each of the three parts, even the smallest part, cattle. The information conveyed in the dual/triple heading has hierarchical force and carries down to subdivisions that may mention only the broadest part of the heading as a kind of shorthand. At 636.2001–636.208 Standard subdivisions, specific topics on husbandry of ruminants and Camelidae is a note that permits addition of notation for genetics to the number for cattle:  “Add to base number 636.20 the numbers following 636.0 in 636.001–636.08, e.g., heifers 636.207 . . . . .”  Thus one can add 821 from 636.0821 Genetics to 636.20  to build 636.20821 Genetics of ruminants and Camelidae, of Bovidae, of cattle.  An example of a work classed in 636.20821 is The Bovine Gene Map.

What about the genome sequence of a single Hereford cow?  Hereford cattle are classed in 636.222 English beef breeds, where there is a note: “Including Hereford and Shorthorn cattle.”  Again by the rule of zero, for works about genetics of Hereford cattle, 636.222 is preferred over 636.20821.  There are no instructions for adding to express genetics of specific breeds, and if there were, one could not use them for Hereford cattle because Herefords are in the including note.  An example of a work classed in 636.222 is International Genetic Evaluation for the North American Hereford and Polled Hereford Populations.