cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interdisciplinarity and Doctoral Education: Socialization, Process, and Outcomes

Interest in interdisciplinary programs in STEM-related fields at the graduate-degree level is widespread across American higher education. Drawing on extant research related to doctoral student socialization, knowledge specialization, and interdisciplinarity, this chapter examines the popularity of these programs. First, the chapter considers the growth of such programs, especially in relation to traditional disciplinary-based STEM doctorates. The chapter then considers challenges associated with interdisciplinarity doctoral education, including curriculum design and delivery, faculty supervision, research engagement, and financial support. These challenges are examined through the lens of Weidman, Twale and Stein’s (Socialization of graduate and professional students in higher education: a perilous passage? ASHE-ERIC higher education report, 28(3). Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2001) socialization model, specifically focusing on how student knowledge acquisition, investment, and involvement are shaped by the interdisciplinary culture. The chapter concludes by examining the small but growing body of evidence related to longitudinal outcomes of interdisciplinary doctoral education, including career trajectories of scholars who hold interdisciplinary doctorates. The chapter offers implications for future research in this area via a potential expansion of the socialization framework as well as information on program design and delivery for institutions interested in promoting interdisciplinary graduate opportunities.
Isolated central nervous system Aspergillosis infection in a chronic lymphocytic leukemia patient on Ibrutinib: A case report.

In patients at high risk of opportunistic infections who present with isolated. neurological symptoms, it is lifesaving to consider Central Nervous System Aspergillosis (CNS-A). Ibrutinib use in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has previously been associated with CNS-A. We provide a case report of a patient that presented with primary CNS-A on Ibrutinib therapy without any prior pulmonary or local paranasal signs of infection. 74-year-old Caucasian male with CLL and no prior chemotherapy on ibrutinib for 6 months presented with three months of unsteady gait, occipital headache, and confusion. He has a history of pulmonary sarcoidosis on chronic prednisone 5 mg daily and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was found to have a “brain abscess” on imaging. Emergent craniotomy confirmed Aspergillus and patient was treated with Voriconazole for 6 months. At six-month follow up, repeat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed complete resolution of CNS lesion. Our case reinforces the importance of being vigilant for isolated CNS-A in CLL patients on ibrutinib who present with neurological symptoms and signs, without prior or co-infection of sino-pulmonary tissue.
Red Blood Cell Fragmentation Syndrome After Placement of MitraClip.

Abstract An 87-year-old woman with a history of trastuzumab-induced left ventricular dysfunction underwent the MitraClip (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) procedure for myxomatous mitral regurgitation. She presented a month later with severe intravascular hemolytic anemia, attributed to the MitraClip. She underwent surgical mitral valve replacement and had resolution of hemolysis. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.)
"Impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on early onset of puberty: experience of an Italian tertiary center".

At the end of 2019, an emerging atypical pneumonia called COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), caused by the novel coronavirus defined as SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2), was first reported. COVID-19 rapidly expanded leading to an epidemic in China, followed by a global pandemic during the year 2020. In few weeks Italy was assaulted by a severe health emergency, constraining the Italian government to put in place extraordinary restrictive measures, such as school closures and a strict lockdown extended to the entire country at the beginning of March 2020. Since the beginning of lockdown, the Endocrinology Unit of Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital has recorded a rapid increase of the outpatient consultations for suspected precocious or early puberty. We have now retrospectively analyzed all the consultations recorded in the database of our outpatient clinic from March to September 2020, and compared them with the consultations recorded in the same database from March to September 2019. Our preliminary data suggest a significant increase of precocious puberty cases in girls during the first period of COVID-19 pandemic. Further investigations in larger cohorts of children are needed in order to correlate the observed increase of precocious puberty with specific pathogenic factors.
Projections of the Impact to Arthroplasty Surgeons With Changes to the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule-A Looming Crisis of Access to Care?

Abstract Background The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 2021 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) includes increases in office reimbursement but decreases in the valuation of total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty and the conversion factor. The purpose of this study was to determine the financial impact of these changes on arthroplasty surgeons. Methods We queried data for 35 arthroplasty surgeons within our practice from 10/2019 to 10/2020 and captured all office and arthroplasty-related surgical procedure codes. We compared the difference in both work relative value units (RVUs) and Medicare reimbursement by surgeon based on the current 2020 PFS to the 2021 changes. We also estimated the impact of several proposals to include office increases to the global surgical package for each code. Results While the mean per surgeon RVU amount for primary arthroplasty procedures will decrease (6267 vs 6,088, P = .78), the mean office work RVU (2755 vs 3,220, P = .16) will increase in 2021. However, the reduction in surgical reimbursement ($530,076 in 2020 to $464,414 in 2021) far exceeds the gains from the office ($99,456 vs $107,374), leading to an overall decrease in reimbursement ($629,532 vs $571,788), a reduction of 9%. The passage of the coronavirus disease 2019 relief bill delays many of the PFS cuts and will result in an overall reduction in reimbursement of 2.4% ($629,532 vs $612,475, P = .61). Conclusion Arthroplasty surgeons are projected to lose 2.4% of Medicare reimbursement in 2021 with the changes in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services PFS. Further study is needed to determine whether these cuts will limit access to care for Medicare patients.
Collaborative Trajectory Optimization for Outage-aware Cellular-Enabled UAVs

Cellular-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) require almost continuous cellular network connectivity to fulfill their missions successfully. However, the area (e.g., rural) they fly over may have partial coverage, making the path planning of such UAV missions a challenging task. Recently a tolerable outage duration is taken into account for such UAVs, and the trajectory optimization under this outage duration is studied. However, these existing studies consider only a single UAV and focus on optimization of each UAV’s own path separately even in multi-UAV scenarios. In this paper, we study the trajectory optimization problem for cellular-enabled UAVs by taking into account the collaboration among UAVs. That is, for a given set of UAVs, each with a mission to fly from a starting point to an ending point, we aim to optimize the total mission completion time for all UAVs such that none of them has a connection outage more than a threshold. We let UAVs collaborate and provide connectivity as relays to each other to solve their outage problem and shorten their trajectories. We first model and solve this problem using nonlinear programming after discretization of the problem. Since it takes longer to solve the problem with such an approach, we then provide a graph-based approximate solution that runs fast. Numerical results show that the proposed approximate solution provides close to optimal results and performs better than state-of-the-art solutions that consider each UAV separately without collaboration among UAVs.
Horus: fine-grained encryption-based security for large-scale storage

With the growing use of large-scale distributed systems, the likelihood that at least one node is compromised is increasing. Large-scale systems that process sensitive data such as geographic data with defense implications, drug modeling, nuclear explosion modeling, and private genomic data would benefit greatly from strong security for their storage. Nevertheless, many high performance computing (HPC), cloud, or secure content delivery network (SCDN) systems that handle such data still store them unencrypted or use simple encryption schemes, relying heavily on physical isolation to ensure confidentiality, providing little protection against compromised computers or malicious insiders. Moreover, current encryption solutions cannot efficiently provide fine-grained encryption for large datasets.Our approach, Horus, encrypts large datasets using keyed hash trees (KHTs) to generate different keys for each region of the dataset, providing fine-grained security: the key for one region cannot be used to access another region. Horus also reduces key management and distribution overhead while providing end-to-end data encryption and reducing the need to trust system operators or cloud service providers. Horus requires little modification to existing systems and user applications. Performance evaluation shows that our prototype's key distribution is highly scalable and robust: a single key server can provide 140,000 keys per second, theoretically enough to sustain more than 100 GB/s I/O throughput, and multiple key servers can efficiently operate in parallel to support load balancing and reliability.
Abstract 16771: Inferring Dynamic Gene-microRNA Regulatory Networks in Cardiac Differentiation by Integrating Multi-Dimensional Data

Background: Decoding the temporal control of gene and microRNA expression patterns are key to understanding the complex mechanism of developmental decisions during heart development. High-throughput methods have been employed to systematically study the dynamic and coordinated nature of cardiac differentiation at the global level with multiple dimensions. There is pressing need to develop systems way to integrate these data from individual studies and infer the dynamic regulatory networks in an unbiased fashion. Methods: We developed a two-step strategy to integrate data from (1) temporal RNA-seq, (2) temporal histone modifications ChIP-seq, (3) temporal microRNA microarray, (4) microRNA target sites, (5) transcription factor (TF) ChIP-seq and (6) gene perturbation, to reconstruct the dynamic network. First, we trained a logistic regression model to predict the probability (LR score) of any base being bound by 543 TFs with known positional weight matrices. Second, six dimensions of data were combined by t...
NMR structure of the Tn916 integrase-DNA complex.

The integrase protein catalyzes the excision and integration of the Tn 916 conjugative transposon, a promiscuous genetic element that spreads antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. The solution structure of the N-terminal domain of the Tn916 integrase protein bound to its DNA-binding site within the transposon arm has been determined. The structure reveals an interesting mode of DNA recognition, in which the face of a three-stranded antiparallel β-sheet is positioned within the major groove. A comparison to the structure of the homing endonuclease I-PpoI–DNA complex suggests that the three-stranded sheet may represent a new DNA-binding motif whose residue composition and position within the major groove are varied to alter specificity. The structure also provides insights into the mechanism of conjugative transposition. The DNA in the complex is bent ˜35° and may, together with potential interactions between bound integrase proteins at directly repeated sites, significantly bend the arms of the transposon.
Contraception in Drug-Dependent Women: A Novel Approach

The goal for providers treating drug-dependent women is to break the cycle of addiction, poverty, and disability. The provision of contraceptive care within nontraditional care settings may provide such an opportunity. The Family Planning Initiative was a four-year project (2005–2009) that delivered contraceptive services to women within a pediatric clinic within a drug treatment facility. The program consisted of group and individual sessions ante- and post-partum that reviewed contraceptive choices and addressed barriers to care. This program demonstrated the clinical and cost effectiveness of integrated, accessible, and continuous health care for this vulnerable population. Health care providers should consider the institution of family planning services into nontraditional health care settings, which requires the extension of traditional health care boundaries, in the provision of comprehensive care that addresses critical population needs.
The association of adiposity with kidney function decline among HIV-infected adults: findings from the Fat Redistribution and Metabolic Changes in HIV Infection (FRAM) study.

Author(s): Malkina, A; Scherzer, R; Shlipak, MG; Bacchetti, P; Tien, PC; Grunfeld, C; Kosmiski, L; Peralta, CA | Abstract: ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to investigate the association of adiposity with longitudinal kidney function change in 544 HIV-infected persons in the Study of Fat Redistribution and Metabolic Change in HIV infection (FRAM) cohort over 5 years of follow-up.MethodsThe regional distribution of muscle and adipose tissue was quantified by whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and total adiponectin and leptin levels were measured in serum. Kidney function was assessed using the estimated glomerular filtration rate from serum cystatin C (eGFRCys), obtained at baseline and follow-up. Rapid kidney function decline was defined as annual loss of eGFRCys ≥ 3 mL/min/1.73 m(2) , and incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined as eGFRCys l60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) . Multivariate regression analysis was adjusted for age, race, gender, glucose, antihypertensive use, serum albumin, baseline and change in HIV viral load.ResultsAt baseline, mean age was 43 years, mean eGFRCys was 86 mL/min/1.73 m(2) , and 21% of patients had albuminuria. The mean (± standard deviation) eGFRCys decline was -0.11 ± 4.87 mL/min/1.73 m(2) per year; 23% of participants had rapid kidney function decline, and 10% developed incident CKD. The lowest tertile of visceral adipose tissue and the highest tertile of adiponectin were both marginally associated with annual kidney function decline of -0.5 mL/min/1.73 m(2) each, but these associations were not statistically significant after adjustment. We found no statistically significant associations of MRI-measured regional adiposity or serum adipokines with rapid kidney function decline or incident CKD (all P-valuesg0.1 in adjusted models).ConclusionsContrary to findings in the general population, adiposity did not have a substantial association with longitudinal change in kidney function among HIV-infected persons.
Ciliary neurotrophic factor stimulates tyrosine hydroxylase activity

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme in norepinephrine synthesis, and its expression and activity are regulated by many factors in sympathetic neurons. Cytokines that act through gp130, such as ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) decrease norepinephrine production in sympathetic neurons by suppressing TH mRNA and stimulating degradation of TH protein, leading to the loss of enzyme. Their effect on the activity of TH is unclear, but recent in vivo observations suggest that cytokines may stimulate TH activity. We investigated this issue by quantifying TH protein levels and activity in cultured sympathetic neurons. We also examined the state of TH phosphorylation on serine 31 and 40, sites known to affect TH activity and degradation. We found that CNTF, acting through gp130, stimulated the rate of l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine production while at the same time decreasing TH enzyme levels, thereby increasing the specific activity of the enzyme. We also found that phosphorylation of TH on Ser31 was increased, and phosphorylation on Ser40 was decreased, after four days of CNTF exposure. Our data are consistent with previous findings that Ser31 phosphorylation stimulates TH activity, whereas Ser40 phosphorylation can target TH for proteasomal degradation.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center: Spine Care (TN)

Describes the Spine Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, a multidisciplinary unit that offers patients suffering from spinal problems 'one-stop' access to a range of providers including orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, neurologists, medical specialists in physical medicine and pain management, mental health providers, and occupational and physical therapists. The Center was created to address what its founder, James Weinstein, M.D., saw as the uncoordinated and inefficient delivery of spinal care in the United States. The Center emphasized using non-surgical treatments (e.g., physical therapy and exercise, behavioral modification, pain-relieving drugs) as either a complement to, or substitute for, surgical procedures, and patients were actively engaged in the process of determining what type of care to pursue. In addition, Weinstein and his staff collected data from the Center's clinical practice to conduct academic research on the outcomes and cost-effectiveness of various approaches to treatment. The case allows for a critical analysis of the Spine Center's unique approach to care delivery and provides an opportunity to examine the applicability of this model in other clinical areas.
A bow-phase mesogen showing strong, robust analog electro-optics

The design and synthesis of the first of a new class of bow-phase (also known as banana-phase) mesogens possessing resorcylidene aniline groups in the core is described. The new achiral material, NORABOW, shows two chiral electro-optically active smectic phases, both existing over a wide temperature range. The high temperature smectic, which exists as the thermodynamically stable phase between 120 °C and 150 °C, exhibits electro-optic behavior not previously reported for a bow-phase. In particular, high susceptibility analog electro-optics (“V-shaped switching”) are observed in a texture which is stable to large applied electric fields. The electro-optic behavior of NORABOW is of potential utility in photonic switching applications.
Improving transient stability using fast valving based on tracking rotor-angle and active power

This paper proposes a multi-agent technique that is divided into two parts. The first part is a tracking agent that will track generators rotor angle to determine power system instability. According to the tracking agent's output, the control agent is initiated. The tracking agent uses off-line time domain analysis to build lookup tables of required fast valving. The tracking agent employs two sub-agents. The first sub-agent determines if fast valving is required to attain transient stability for each credible system disturbance and operating condition. The second sub-agent compares the electric power for each generator before and after the disturbance to determine the appropriate reduction of mechanical power to stabilize the system. The control agent is turbine fast valving. The resulting multi-agent technique can determine system instability and establish system stability. Decoded MATLAB programs of both agents are linked to ETMSP program, power system simulation program, used in verifying the results.
Adherence to diet and quality of life in patients with phenylketonuria.

Aim: To investigate adherence to dietary treatment and quality of life (QoL) in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU). Methods: In the setting of a tertiary paediatric hospital, 41 early-treated patients affected by PKU aged more than 3 years old were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Three-days dietary assessment, QoL questionnaires for patients <18 years old (Child Health Questionnaire) and Short Form for adults were completed. Results: Of 41 patients, 23 (56.1%) were considered adherent to the dietary prescriptions as their phenylalanine intake was less than prescribed. Phenylalanine intake was significantly in excess of prescribed if mothers had a lower level of education. Adherence was not correlated with age. Metabolic control was obtained in 41.5–51.2% of the patients depending on the target. QoL was reduced in children and adolescents. There was no significant correlation between adherence and QoL, except for the domains of Global Health and Family Activities (ρ = 0.42 and 0.46, respectively). The overall agreement between adherence and metabolic control varied according to different targets of metabolic control (51.2–65.9%). Conclusions: It is necessary to improve the adherence to diet and the QoL in children and adolescents affected by PKU.
Studies on Toxinogenesis in Vibrio cholerae II. An In Vitro Test for Enterotoxin Production

Abstract An Elek test for enterotoxin-producing strains of Vibrio cholerae is described. Thirty-five out of 37 strains of classical V. cholerae produced positive reactions, but only 1 of 69 E1 Tor vibrio strains was reactive. Tox(−) mutants of V. cholerae were also unreactive in the Elek test.
Understanding and Improving Campus Climates for Activists

This chapter synthesizes the common themes across chapters in this volume and argues that campus activists are an integral part of the higher education landscape.
Studies of reaction sequences and quantitative changes during titrations based on the releasing effect in atomic absorption spectrometry

Abstract Atomic absorption inhibition release titrations are applied for studying reactions and quantitative changes that take place during evaporation and vaporization processes in flame photometric studies of solutions containing several metal ions and an anion, X, with which the metal ions form refractory compounds. A standard solution containing one metal ion, M, and anion, X, is added continuously to a solution containing two different metal ions, E1 and E2, and M in the resulting solution is monitored continuously by atomic absorption spectrometry. Information about reaction processes is deduced from characteristic changes that occur in response curves when the amounts of M and X added are equivalent to amounts E1 and E2 present. The characteristic changes occur when E1 and E2 have released equivalent amounts of M from MX. The order in which different releasing agents react as well as quantitative changes in equilibria were determined from mole ratios of the different species used in different experiments. In the titration of the chlorides of lanthanum as E1 and of strontium or calcium as E2 with magnesium as M and phosphate as X, it was shown that lanthanum reacts before either strontium or calcium to release magnesium from phosphate.
Succession Planning: A Doctoral Program Partnership for Emerging Community College Leaders

This article describes a doctoral program partnership between a university and a community college district that addresses the need of employment-planning strategies for building leadership capacity in the community college system. Succession planning information is provided as a foundational framework to plan for the next generation of community college leaders. University faculty members and administrators worked with community college leaders in a large community college district to reimagine the doctorate in educational leadership. The doctoral degree partnership program represents a joint effort to “grow-your-own” higher education leaders—leadership development within and internal to the community college arena—while providing a doctoral program of study, internship, and residency customized to a cohort of students. The attrition and retention of doctoral students in American graduate programs are noted, with completion indicators identified from the literature. The voices of doctoral students in the...
CYTOPLASMIC DNA SYNTHESIS IN AMOEBA PROTEUS : III. Further Studies on the Nature of the DNA-Containing Elements

The application of electron microscope autoradiography to Amoeba proteus cells labeled with tritiated thymidine has permitted the identification of morphologically distinct particles in the cytoplasm as the sites of incorporated DNA precursor. The particles correspond to those previously described from light microscope studies, with respect to both H 3 Tdr incorporation and distribution in centrifugally stratified amoebae. Ingested bacteria differ from the particles, in morphology as well as in the absence of associated label. Attempts to introduce a normal particle labeling pattern by incubating amoebae with labeled sediment derived from used amoeba medium failed. The resultant conclusion, that the particles are maintained in the amoeba by self-duplication, is supported by the presence of particles in configurations suggestive of division.
Measurement of the Molecular g Values in H2O and D2O and Hyperfine Structure in H2O

Individual components of the Zeeman transitions in the rotational spectrum of H2O and D2O were resolved in fields of 25–30 kG. This allowed determination of the g values with greater accuracy than previous measurements. The g values obtained for H2O were g(523) = 0.6959 ± 0.001 and g(616) = 0.6565 ± 0.001. The g values obtained for D2O were gaa = 0.3233 ± 0.001, gbb = 0.3580 ± 0.001, and gcc = 0.3226 ± 0.001. Analysis of the combined results indicates that the g values for H2O are positive and that the values are gaa = 0.6650 ± 0.002, gbb = 0.7145 ± 0.002, and gcc = 0.6465 ± 0.002. Hyperfine structure on the 616 − 523 transition in H2O was observed in a maser spectrometer, and the spin–rotation and spin–spin coupling constants were obtained. The measured value of the rotational transition frequency was 22 235 079.85 ± 0.05 kHz. The magnetic susceptibility anisotropies and molecular quadrupole moments were determined in H2O.
2D Bands and Electron-Phonon Interactions in Polyacene Plastic Transistors

We present a simple tight-binding model for the two-dimensional energy bands of polyacene field-effect transistors and for the coupling of these bands to lattice vibrations of their host molecular crystal. We argue that the strongest electron-phonon interactions in these systems originate from the dependence of intermolecule hopping amplitudes on collective molecular motion, and introduce a generalized Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model and is parameter-free once the band mass has been specified. We compute ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{2}F(\ensuremath{\omega})$ as a function of two-dimensional hole density, and are able to explain the onset of superconductivity near 2D carrier density ${n}_{2\mathrm{D}}\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{14}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$, observed in recent experiments.
Optical polarization of nuclear spins in GaAs

The photon energy, irradiation time, and sample temperature dependences of laser-enhanced NMR spectra from semi-insulating GaAs at 9.4 T were measured. These data were used to test the existing model for the mechanism of optical nuclear polarization---namely, optical excitation of shallow donor states and subsequent spin diffusion of polarization throughout the bulk. Features of the present results, such as their uniqueness to semi-insulating GaAs and pumping data obtained via laser irradiation above the band gap, are inconsistent with this model. An additional model is proposed that includes localized paramagnetic centers as storage sites for electron spin polarization, but relies upon delocalized electron states to accomplish the bulk nuclear spin polarizations. The delocalized states could be free excitons.
Somaclonal variation in high tannin sorghums.

Genetic variants were found among over 6,000 primary plants (R1) regenerated from embryogenic tissue cultures of eight high tannin sorghums [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Field assessment of somaclonal variation has progressed to the R2 population, with over 48,000 R2 seedlings (27,000 plants) in 1,126 rows from 1,055 R1 plants. A total of 43 variant phenotypes was recovered, including several types of chlorophyll deficiencies, dwarfism, short culm, sterility, narrow leaf, and several previously unreported variants, such as ragged leaf, multibranched heads, and Hydra, a developmental variant which produces large numbers of panicles. Variation production greatly depends on parent genotype and appears to increase with increasing time in cultures. The toal average somaclonal variation rate (based per 100 R1 plants) and somaclonal variant frequency (based per 100 R2 plants) estimated in the tested population were 11.3 and 1.6, respectively. Chimerism was found in regenerants. The estimated size of the mutated sector carried by mutant regenerants ranged from the whole plant to less than 3% of a single head. The average proportion of mutated R1 heads carrying large (80%–100%), medium (40%–80%), and small (<40%) mutated sectors was 38.7%, 26.0% and 35.3%, respectively. Some sector mutations do not appear until the R3 generation. In order to avoid losing variants, the population for selecting somaclonal variation should be as large as possible. Some of these variants found may be useful for further study or for use in breeding programs.
Compound algorithms for digit online arithmetic

This paper describes a systematic method which has been successfully used to create several digit online algorithms. Basically, the method entails converting in a systematic way a known continued sums/products algorithm and combining the converted form of the continued sums/product algorithm with a generalized digitization algorithm. Not only does the method seem to have wide applicability in the creation of digit online algorithms for many elementary functions but the algorithms which have resulted from this method themselves have several desirable properties.
Red Meat Intake and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Despite a wealth of research on cholesterol and saturated fat and cardiovascular disease (CVD), few studies have examined the association between red meat and CVD. We review the epidemiologic data on the relation between red meat intake and CVD. From observational studies over the past 25 years, we conclude that both unprocessed and processed red meat increase the risk of coronary heart disease and that processed red meat likely confers a greater risk. Data on the relation of red meat with stroke is limited, but also suggests an increased risk. As dietary iron, added sodium, and compounds created during cooking may contribute to these associations, simply choosing lean red meats may not reduce the risk of CVD. Clinicians may consider recommending that patients decrease or eliminate red meat from their diet and replace it with healthier protein sources such as nuts, fish, poultry, or low-fat dairy products.
A problem from empirical economics: I. Determining uncertainties arising from inequivalent data sets

Abstract A method is presented for extracting numerical values for quantities that are not directly available in existing data sources but occur as linear combinations of other quantities for which data exist. This method uses known data to find the maximum range of values of the unknown quantities, their mean values, and the mean deviations from these values, and hence the uncertainties introduced by merging data sets with categories differently defined.
Szemer\'edi--Trotter-type theorems in dimension 3

We estimate the number of incidences in a configuration of $m$ lines and $n$ points in dimension 3. The main term is $mn^{1/3}$ if we work over the real or complex numbers but $mn^{2/5}$ over finite fields. Both of these are optimal, aside from a multiplicative constant that is at most 5.
Pinel in the Maghreb: Liberation, Confinement, and Psychiatric Reform in French North Africa

For early twentieth century French psychiatrists, the colonies of Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco appeared as crucial sites for innovation. Citing Pinel's liberation of the insane during the French Revolution as a precedent, colonial psychiatrists preached of their capacity to advance France's "civilizing mission" by delivering the insane from their suffering. Yet colonial renovation programs also drew them to scrutinize the failings of their own common practices. Psychiatrists saw their field in a state of crisis, marked by overcrowded asylums and outdated therapeutic concepts. Attempts to modernize colonial terrains thus also aimed at re creating a discipline that had fallen into decline.
Absolute Dimensions and Masses of V541 Cygni and the General Theory of Relativity

Absolute dimensions and masses of V541 Cyg (B9.5 V + B9.5 V) have been computed from its first spectroscopic orbit and the excellent light curve published by Khaliullin in 1985. This binary has a long period (15.34 days) and a highly eccentric orbit (e = 0.479), with very small stars relative to their separation. It shows apsidal motion of 060 ± 010 per 100 years, significantly slower than the rate predicted by theory [089 ± 003 (100 yr)-1 ]. In this system the rate of apsidal motion due to general relativistic effects is 5 times that from the classical Newtonian causes (tidal and rotational distortions of the stars). The discrepancy in the apsidal motion rate is difficult to explain, and is in the same sense as the discrepancies found for two other eclipsing binaries, DI Her and AS Cam, in which the relativistic contributions to apsidal motion are also significant.
Teaching Design and Automation Principles Through a National Robotics Competition

An innovative method for teaching senior project course has been discussed. The method involves use of seniors as mentors for a team of high school students participating in a national robotic competition. The experience offered students an opportunity to lead teams during design and fabrication of various components of the robot while meeting specific deadlines. Students learnt the principles of design and automation while teaching their high school counterparts.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
The role of sodium and structure on the catalytic behavior of alumina: I. Isopropanol dehydration activity

Abstract Three different transitional aluminas were doped with controlled and measured amounts of Na and were tested for 2-propanol dehydration activity. These alumina samples were activated by heating at 773 K in situ before use. In order to examine the sites responsible for the reaction, simultaneous temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements of 2-propanol were performed on the samples. A typical γ-alumina sample adsorbed ca. 2·10 18 molecules of 2-propanol per m 2 . When 400 ppm (0.04 wt.-%) of Na was added to this sample, the reactivity fell by 75%. Since the Na level corresponds to 0.07·10 18 atoms/m 2 , this suggests that the active sites are much fewer in number than the number of adsorption sites. Besides affecting the active sites, Na also modifies the adsorption sites causing a fraction of the adsorbed 2-propanol to desorb before reaction in the TPD experiment. The effect of added Na was contrasted with the effect of alumina form (γ, δ and α). These alumina samples were also characterized by IR spectroscopy in a companion study (part II of this paper, Appl. Catal. A, 000 (1995) 000) where we found that the added Na impurities affected the hydroxyl groups and adsorbed pyridine. This study provides a comprehensive picture of how Na impurities modify the catalytic behavior of transitional alumina.
Between the Bounds of experience and divine intuition: Kant's epistemic limits and Hegel's ambitions

Hegel seeks to overturn Kant's conclusion that our knowledge is restricted, or that we cannot have knowledge of things as they are in themselves. Understanding this Hegelian ambition requires distinguishing two Kantian characterizations of our epistemic limits: First, we can have knowledge only within the “bounds of experience”. Second, we cannot have knowledge of objects that would be accessible only to a divine intellectual intuition, even though the faculty of reason requires us to conceive of such objects. Hegel aims to drive a wedge between these two characterizations, showing that we can have knowledge beyond Kant's bounds of experience, yet without need of divine intuition. And attention to such knowledge is supposed to show that we have no legitimate need to even conceive of divine intuition and its objects—and no need to conclude that our own knowledge is restricted by comparison, or that we cannot know things as they are in themselves. I focus here on the initial case Hegel uses to introduce thi...
DMD-based spatially Fourier-encoded photoacoustic microscopy

We present spatially Fourier-encoded photoacoustic microscopy using a digital micromirror device (DMD). The spatial fluence distribution of laser pulses is Fourier-encoded by the DMD, and a series of such encoded photoacoustic (PA) measurements enables decoding of the spatial distribution of optical absorption. By imaging a chromium target, we demonstrated the throughput and Fellgett advantages, which increased the PA signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared to raster scanning. The system was used to image two biological targets, a monolayer of red blood cells, and melanoma cells. The enhanced SNR benefited PA images by increasing the image’s contrast-to-noise ratio and target identifiability.
Imaging experiments to detect an extended sodium atmosphere on the moon

Abstract Wide angle, low light level imaging observations of the lunar sodium atmosphere have been conducted from McDonald Observatory, Texas. Three imaging techniques have been tried: field of view offset, shadow mask, and coronagraph mask. Initial observations in February, 1991, were successful using the field of view offset technique. These observations showed a comet-like distribution of sodium consisting of a bright coma extending to 5 lunar radii (R M ) on the sunward side and a tail feature detectable to 15 to 20 R M on the antisunward side. The dayside radial intensity decrease is well fit by a power law of index −4. Subsequent coronagraph mask observations in September–October, 1991, showed similar overall intensities, a shorter tail feature, and significant solar zenith angle behavior in the dayside intensities.
Aspects of the behavior of psychiatric inpatients with frontal lobe damage: some implications for diagnosis and treatment.

Abstract A common clinical problem in patients with coexisting evidence of CNS dysfunction and behavioral disturbances is to determine what role, if any, the organic dysfunction plays in the behavioral disturbance. This has important therapeutic as well as prognostic implications as exemplified by the patients reported herein. This paper describes a series of 20 consecutive psychiatric inpatients with clear-cut evidence of frontal lobe disease and a variety of behavioral disturbances. Some diagnostic issues that the clinician commonly faces with such patients as well as some implications for treatment are discussed.
Uptake of inorganic lead in vitro by isolated mitochondria and tissue slices of rat renal cortex

Abstract Slices of rat renal cortex were shown to take up Pb 2+ during incubation in vitro ; Pb 2+ was also shown to enter mitochondria within the slices. The uptake of Pb 2+ by isolated mitochondria was inhibited by N 3 − , La 3+ and ruthenium red. A steady state of uptake was attained within 60 sec. The concentration dependence of uptake was complex; maximum uptake was attained at 25 μM and inhibition ensued at higher concentrations. A substantial inhibitor-resistant component of Pb 2+ uptake was noted, especially at medium Pb 2+ concentrations greater than 25 μM, and these concentrations also inhibited respiration state 3. The effects on respiration were reduced if the mitochondria had been preincubated with ruthenium red. Slices of renal cortex incubated at 1° in medium with various concentrations of Pb 2+ showed two fractions of uptake, one saturating at 50–100 μM external Pb 2+ and the other at 150–200 μM. Subsequent incubation for 60 min at 25° led to further uptake at all concentrations. Upon isolation of mitochondria from incubated slices, significant amounts of Pb 2+ were detected in the mitochondria within 5 min of addition of Pb 2+ (200 μM), with maximum attained at 30 min. Electron microscopy of slices showed electron-dense particles, apparently of Pb 2+ , in the cortical cells but the greatest concentrations was deposited in the basement membranes. The results indicate the importance of the basement membrane in limiting access of Pb 2+ to cortical cells, and of mitochondria in accumulating Pb 2+ once it is in the cells. They also illustrate the importance of interactions between Pb 2+ and Ca 2+ .
Fabrication of a binary-phase-only filter (BPOF) on transparency film

Abstract A novel method is employed to provide a quick and convenient means for converting a computer generated binary-phase-only filter (BPOF) into a representative optical element that can be tested in the laboratory. Intensity mapped BPOFs are generated using commercial transparency films and later the investigation extends to silver halide emulsions and photopolymers. Our results indicate that this can be a useful process with future applications for optical correlators and optical processors. The generated BPOFs can be made available not only for model verification, but also for direct fabrication of filter elements in an optical system — thus eliminating the need for more expensive alternatives.
Issued US patents, patent-related global academic and media publications, and the US market indices are inter-correlated, with varying growth patterns

The increase in patents is a main driving force for discussions of international competitiveness, knowledge spillovers, patent office efficiencies, and others. However, to the author’s knowledge, it is interesting that no work has investigated the impact of the growth in the number of patents on patent-related scholarly (peer-reviewed) and media (e.g., press release) literatures, or evidence of inter-relatedness among these three literatures with those of the US market indices (viz., Dow, S&P500, NASDAQ). Here, I report that the growth in the number of US issued patents, the patent-related media and peer-reviewed publications, and these indices are statistically correlated, but with drastically different growth rates. This general result affords data supporting a hypothesis that publicly traded companies, as drivers of innovation, are priming a new research area within the scholarly communities and simultaneously affecting market value through, what-may-be-called, “patent journalism.”
Kinetics of renaturation of DNA.

The rate of renaturation of fully denatured DNA is kinetically a second-order reaction. The reaction rate increases as the temperature decreases below Tm†, reaching a broad flat maximum from 15 to 30 °C below Tm and then decreases with a further decrease in temperature. Let N be the complexity of the DNA or the number of base-pairs in non-repeating sequences per virus or cell for the given DNA, and L the average number of nucleotides per single strand of the denatured DNA preparation. Then, the second-order renaturation rate constants for all DNA's are given approximately by k2 = 3 × 105 L0.5N 1. mole−1 sec−1 at (Tm − 25) °C and at [Na+] = 1.0 mole 1.−1 in aqueous solution. The reaction rate increases slightly with the GC content of the DNA. The reaction rate at the temperature maximum (Tm − 25) °C is inversely proportional to solvent viscosity, when the viscosity is changed by the addition of components which either have a small (sucrose, glycerol, ethylene glycol) or a large (NaClO4) effect on Tm. It is proposed that the mechanism of the reaction involves the joining of short, homologous sites on the two strands followed by a fast, reversible zippering reaction with forward rate constant kt. A computer analysis for this model explains the temperature and the GC dependence. To explain the viscosity dependence it is proposed that kf is inversely proportional to viscosity; that is, the zippering reaction is hydrodynamically limited. Any simple theory predicts k2 ~ LN; the observed L0.5 length dependence is attributed to an excluded volume or steric hindrance effect, that is, to restricted interpenetration of the two complementary denatured DNA coils.
Chronic stimulation enhances extramyocardial collateral blood flow after a cardiomyoplasty

Abstract We have previously demonstrated that collateral blood flow can be established between skeletal muscle and myocardium in animals that have undergone a latissimus dorsi cardiomyoplasty. We have also shown that 5 minutes after the thoracodorsal nerve is electrically stimulated at 1.25 Hz, there is a sixfold increase in the collateral blood flow between the latissimus dorsi and the heart. In this experiment, we hypothesized that chronic stimulation of a latissimus dorsi cardiomyoplasty would result in a sustained increase in the latissimus-derived collateral blood flow. In 24 adult male goats, an ameroid constrictor was placed around a branch of the circumflex coronary artery, and a latissimus dorsi cardiomyoplasty was performed. After a rest period of about 1 week, the latissimus dorsi cardiomyoplasties were stimulated continuously at a 2-Hz frequency for 6 weeks. Collateral blood flow between the muscle and the heart was then measured with colored microspheres. Sixteen animals survived to the final experiment, and collaterals developed in 10. In these 10 animals, the latissimus collaterals continuously delivered 0.17 ± 0.03 mL · g −1 · min −1 (mean ± the standard error) of blood to ischemic myocardium. This flow represents 24.0% ± 3.9% of the flow measured to normal myocardium. These results demonstrate that in an animal model of coronary artery disease, chronic electrical stimulation of a latissimus dorsi cardiomyoplasty maintains an elevated level of latissimus-derived collateral blood flow to the myocardium.
Effect of the frequency content and spatial location of raw data errors on CT images

As CT scanners continue to increase in speed and to collect more data per rotation, transmitting raw data across the slip ring and storing raw data can be very challenging. While lossy compression can offer a significant reduction in data set size, it introduces errors to the measurements. We examined the effect of noise of different frequencies in the view (temporal) direction as well as at different locations in the detector arc. Our results showed that only low temporal frequency errors in the center detectors can contribute to errors in the center of the reconstructed field-of-view (FOV). On the other hand, high temporal frequency errors only contribute to errors in the periphery of the reconstructed FOV. Whether image errors arise from compression or electronic noise, their relative sensitivity to different frequencies and detectors is an important consideration for applications such as cardiac CT, where the center of the FOV may be considered the most critical region. Therefore, when limiting data rate is essential, detectors could be allocated different bit-rates for compression based on the tolerable frequency content of their errors and their spatial location.
Intrastate differences in residential water demand

To date, the results of studies which attempted to estimate residential water demand models have varied, but the source of these variations is not evident because the studies have applied different methodologies and data bases to different regions. The purpose of this paper is to develop models of residential water demand for watershed regions and test the null hypothesis that a single model is adequate to explain variations for all of the individual regions. Primary data collected from questionnaires and utility company records is used in a regression analysis to estimate a generalized water demand model for the state as well as one for each of the subregions. The null hypothesis is rejected which indicates that there are other factors which influence the demand for water and the use of a single model could result in biased estimates.