cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solid-State Heat Convertors

Thermoelectric energy conversion emerged in the middle of the twentieth century. Early pioneers were Maria Telkes [1, 2], Abram Ioffe [3], and Julian Goldsmid [4], who developed thermoelectric semiconductors and showed that they could be used for electrical power generation from heat and for solid-state cooling. Our understanding of thermoelectricity itself dates back almost two centuries, with the discovery of the thermoelectric power of solids (the Seebeck coefficient) by Thomas Seebeck [5] in 1821–1822. Lord Kelvin [6] discovers the Thomson heat and understood thermoelectric effects to be part of classical thermodynamics. He derived his reciprocity relations by treating electrical currents like fluids in conventional mechanical heat engines. Lord Rayleigh [7] realized that thermoelectric effects could theoretically be used for solid-state heat-to-electricity conversion. He pointed out not only that the efficiency of thermopiles is proportional to the square of the thermopower, but also that “. . .the steamengine and dynamo are not likely to be superseded by German-silver (a Cu-Ni alloy related to constantan) and iron thermopiles.” Altenkirch [8] established the concept of the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT, which will be described further in these pages. In practice, before 1945 the only use of thermoelectric effects was in metallic thermocouples used for thermometry. When a solid is subjected to a temperature gradient (∇T), a heat flux (jQ) flows through it. To the first order, the heat flux is linearly related to ∇T via Fourier’s law, jQ = k ∇T, where k is the solid’s thermal conductivity. Both ∇T and jQ are vectors; in the absence of external magnetic fields, they are collinear. When the solid is electrically conducting (metals or semiconductors), ∇T also generates an electric field E, again aligned with ∇T in the absence of an external magnetic field. In linear transport theory, both are again proportional and the thermoelectric power a of the solid, also known as thermopower or Seebeck coefficient, is the proportionality constant, defined as a E ∇T = . It has been shown by Callen [9] that, for a single electron and in strictly reversible
Machine Learning for Vehicular Networks: Recent Advances and Application Examples

The emerging vehicular networks are expected to make everyday vehicular operation safer, greener, and more efficient and pave the path to autonomous driving in the advent of the fifth-generation (5G) cellular system. Machine learning, as a major branch of artificial intelligence, has been recently applied to wireless networks to provide a data-driven approach to solve traditionally challenging problems. In this article, we review recent advances in applying machine learning in vehicular networks and attempt to bring more attention to this upcoming area.
Priority Service Methods

The advantages obtained from differentiation of products and services all stem ultimately from differences among customers. A product line serves customers better to the extent it includes products tailored to the preferences of specific market segments. Gains in efficiency from greater differentiation can be shared between customers and firms in various ways: in perfectly regulated or competitive markets the gains remain with customers, but in incompletely regulated or imperfectly competitive markets the firms can obtain profits from some degree of monopoly pricing, which of course also diminishes somewhat the gains obtained.
Low Linolenic Soybean Variety Trial

Introduction This project is designed to compare the yields of the new Iowa State low linolenic soybean varieties with soybean varieties commonly grown in the territory covered by the Southeast Research Farm near Crawfordsville, Iowa. The territory where these low linolenic soybeans were grown was fairly broad, so the varieties used in this trial varied by one maturity range. The new low linolenic soybean varieties are adapted to the area surrounding the research facility, and producers will need performance data to determine whether the premium offered for growing the new soybeans is adequate. Premiums are designed to cover yield drag and identity preservation costs.
Religion: Help or hindering Moral Judgment

The goal of helping students to become ethical citizens is a concern of college educators. There have been a number of factors, which seem to contribute to this goal. Religious inclination is one factor that researchers have considered. We would expect religious people to be highly ethical. However, research suggests that is not the case. In fact, some research suggests that religion can inhibit moral growth. In most cases, religiosity negatively affected moral development.
Hybrid Latent Variable Modeling of High Dimensional Time Series Data

Abstract This paper is concerned with high dimensional time series data analytics based on hybrid dynamic and static latent variable modeling. Application areas can include industrial data analytics, dynamic feature extraction, econometric data modeling, image sequence modeling, and other high dimensional time-correlated data analytic problems. As collinearity is typical in these high-dimensional data, the interest is to extract the latent driving factors which are concentrated in a reduced subspace. Furthermore, in the latent subspace, variations in some dimensions are auto-correlated, while those in other dimensions are not auto-correlated. We present in this paper several latent dynamic variable modeling methods to extract the principal variations in the data, either dynamic or static, in a low dimensional latent subspace. The approaches effectively distill and separate latent features in the data for easy interpretation, prediction, and visualization. The dynamic latent variables are extracted to have maximized predictability, in terms of correlation or covariance between the latent variables scores and the predicted values from the past scores. A simulation data case study is presented to illustrate how these latent dynamic analytics extract important features from the data.
Resting amygdala connectivity and basal sympathetic tone as markers of chronic hypervigilance

Abstract Background Chronic hypervigilance, a state of sustained alertness and hyperarousal in the absence of threat, has been shown to predict poorer clinical outcomes post-trauma. An exaggerated and persistent amygdala alerting response to affective information has been proposed as a reactivity-based, and thus indirect, marker of hypervigilance. However, because chronic hypervigilance is a persistent rather than reactive state, it should be directly observable under resting-state conditions without the need for exposure to affectively charged stimuli. Objective We tested resting amygdala connectivity and basal sympathetic and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity as direct neural and neuroendocrine markers of chronic hypervigilance. Participants 24 trauma-exposed women (age M = 22.9, SD = 5.5) and 20 no-trauma controls (age M = 21.1, SD = 3.2). Measures Amygdala connectivity was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest and during viewing of novel and familiar affective scenes. Elevated amygdala connectivity during the viewing of novel scenes (exaggerated alerting response) and familiar scenes (persistent alerting response) was used as a reactivity-based index of hypervigilance. Resting amygdala connectivity and basal salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and cortisol were tested as neural and neuroendocrine markers of hypervigilance, respectively. Results Compared to no-trauma controls, trauma-exposed women showed greater connectivity between the left amygdala and the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC) both during affective processing and at rest. Exaggerated neural novelty response was associated with greater resting left amygdala-vACC connectivity and higher basal sAA, but not cortisol. Conclusions Greater synchronization of threat-detection circuitry in the absence of threat and basal sympathetic tone might serve as complementary resting-state markers of the cognitive and physiological components of chronic hypervigilance, respectively.
UNDERSTANDING FEATURE DISCOVERY IN WEBSITE FINGERPRINTING ATTACKS

The Tor anonymity system is vulnerable to website fingerprinting attacks that can reveal users Internet browsing behavior. The state-of-the-art website fingerprinting attacks use convolutional neural networks to automatically extract features from packet traces. One such attack undermines an efficient fingerprinting defense previously considered a candidate for implementation in Tor. In this work, we study the use of neural network attribution techniques to visualize activity in the attack’s model. These visualizations, essentially heatmaps of the network, can be used to identify regions of particular sensitivity and provide insight into the features that the model has learned. We then examine how these heatmaps may be used to create a new website fingerprinting defense that applies random padding to the website trace with an emphasis towards highly fingerprintable regions. This defense reduces the attacker’s accuracy from 98% to below 70% with a packet overhead of approximately 80%.
Dolomitization of supratidal to shallow-marine carbonates in the Pennsylvanian successions of the Wyoming Shelf

Abstract Laterally extensive beds of dolomitized carbonate are found interbedded with eolian to peritidal sandstones in the hydrocarbon-producing Pennsylvanian to earliest Permian successions of the Wyoming Shelf, USA. Subsurface and surface correlations often rely on these dolomite intervals yet their origin is poorly constrained. To characterize the nature of dolomitization, we integrate petrography, carbon and oxygen isotope data, and sedimentological characteristics of pervasively dolomitized shallow-marine, supratidal, and pedogenic facies in the Amsden and Tensleep Formations of the Bighorn Basin (early to middle Pennsylvanian, northern Wyoming). Stable isotopic compositions are compared with the documented isotopic signature of protodolomite forming on present-day arid coastlines. The composition of fine- to medium-grained dolomitized matrix differs from that of late-stage calcite spars, suggesting that dolomites preserve a primary or early diagenetic signal. The δ18O values of dolomites (-1.2 to 7.6‰ VPDB) display a similar range to that of modern protodolomite forming in the tidal flats of the coast of Abu Dhabi. The δ13C values, however, are consistently lower than expected if dolomite had precipitated from sea-water. These relationships suggest that dolomite incorporated a considerable amount of isotopically light carbon during primary formation or later during overgrowth and/or recrystallization of the initial protodolomite. Pennsylvanian and earliest Permian successions in Wyoming, Montana, and northeastern Utah display very similar diagenetic modifications (i.e., pervasive dolomitization, evaporite replacement, silicification), suggesting that the models discussed here may be applicable to these contemporaneous formations.
Efficacy of Botulinum Toxin in Tension-Type Headaches: A Systematic Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND Botulinum toxin is approved to treat chronic migraine and has been shown to confer significant benefit in refractory cases. Due to its effect on pain by sensory modulation, there may also be efficacy in its use in chronic tension-type headache (CTTH). METHODS A systematic review of the literature was performed using our predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We targeted prospective trials, randomized or nonrandomized, studying botulinum toxin in tension-type headaches (TTHs) in adults. RESULTS Twenty-two studies were included, including 9 nonrandomized, uncontrolled studies, 8 randomized, placebo-controlled and double-blinded trials (RCTs), 3 RCTs with a crossover, open-label period, 1 comparative, randomized, single-blinded evaluation, and 1 retrospective study with prospective evaluation of headache response to cosmetic botulinum toxin. Studies included 11 to 300 subjects, with duration typically less than 6 months and with only 1 treatment period. Results were mixed, likely due to variable study design, including toxin dosing, injection paradigms, duration/frequency of treatment, and outcome measures. There was moderate-quality evidence that botulinum toxin improved VAS scoring, and some studies demonstrated efficacy based on improved frequency/severity. CONCLUSION This systematic review demonstrates variable study designs contributing to the low quality of evidence available regarding botulinum toxin in TTH, but some data suggest efficacy. There does not appear to be irrefutable evidence of a lack of efficacy of botulinum toxin in TTH. Using the paradigm for botulinum toxin in chronic migraine may prove fruitful in treating CTTH. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the utility of botulinum toxin in this common debilitating condition.
Surgical Management: Vagotomy and Pyloroplasty

Most indications for vagotomy and pyloroplasty (VP) are of historical importance, with proton pump inhibitors and eradicating H. pylori all but making the aforementioned obsolete. A bleeding duodenal ulcer, a perforated duodenal/gastric ulcer, an obstructing pyloric channel/duodenal ulcer, and intractable pain from peptic ulcer disease remain indications for such a procedure. The Heineke-Mikulicz approach is best for routine cases, whereas the Finney pyloroplasty is best suited for a J-shaped stomach laying in the longitudinal axis. In the most severe cases of inflammation and scarring of the pylorus, a Jaboulay gastroduodenostomy may be employed which bypasses the pylorus entirely. All described pyloroplasties may be accomplished laparoscopically, and each technique mirrors the open approach and should be attempted by those skilled at laparoscopy. Complications related to the pyloroplasty include dumping syndrome, bile reflux gastritis, inadequate drainage vs. delayed GI function, and leaks. A number of prospective, randomized trials comparing the various surgical options have a reported mortality rate of 0.5–0.8%.
Mitochondrial dysfunction and role in spreading depolarization and seizure

The effect of pathological phenomena such as epileptic seizures and spreading depolarization (SD) on mitochondria and the potential feedback of mitochondrial dysfunction into the dynamics of those phenomena are complex and difficult to study experimentally due to the simultaneous changes in many variables governing neuronal behavior. By combining a model that accounts for a wide range of neuronal behaviors including seizures, normoxic SD, and hypoxic SD (HSD), together with a detailed model of mitochondrial function and intracellular Ca2+ dynamics, we investigate mitochondrial dysfunction and its potential role in recovery of the neuron from seizures, HSD, and SD. Our results demonstrate that HSD leads to the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular ATP levels that recover only when normal oxygen supply is restored. Mitochondrial organic phosphate and pH gradients determine the strength of the depolarization block during HSD and SD, how quickly the cell enters the depolarization block when the oxygen supply is disrupted or potassium in the bath solution is raised beyond the physiological value, and how fast the cell recovers from SD and HSD when normal potassium concentration and oxygen supply are restored. Although not as dramatic as phosphate and pH gradients, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake has a similar effect on neuronal behavior during these conditions.
Cord Blood-Derived Exosomal CNTN2 and BDNF: Potential Molecular Markers for Brain Health of Neonates at Risk for Iron Deficiency

Maternal iron deficiency anemia, obesity, and diabetes are prevalent during pregnancy. All are associated with neonatal brain iron deficiency (ID) and neurodevelopmental impairment. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles involved in cell–cell communication. Contactin-2 (CNTN2), a neural-specific glycoprotein, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are important in neurodevelopment and found in exosomes. We hypothesized that exosomal CNTN2 and BDNF identify infants at risk for brain ID. Umbilical cord blood samples were measured for iron status. Maternal anemia, diabetes, and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. Cord blood exosomes were isolated and validated for the exosomal marker CD81 and the neural-specific exosomal marker CNTN2. Exosomal CNTN2 and BDNF levels were quantified by ELISA. Analysis of CNTN2 and BDNF levels as predictors of cord blood iron indices showed a direct correlation between CNTN2 and ferritin in all neonates (n = 79, β = 1.75, p = 0.02). In contrast, BDNF levels inversely correlated with ferritin (β = −1.20, p = 0.03), with stronger association in female neonates (n = 37, β = −1.35, p = 0.06), although there is no evidence of a sex-specific effect. Analysis of maternal risk factors for neonatal brain ID as predictors of exosomal CNTN2 and BDNF levels showed sex-specific relationships between infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs) and CNTN2 levels (Interaction p = 0.0005). While male IDMs exhibited a negative correlation (n = 42, β = −0.69, p = 0.02), female IDMs showed a positive correlation (n = 37, β = 0.92, p = 0.01) with CNTN2. A negative correlation between BNDF and maternal BMI was found with stronger association in female neonates (per 10 units BMI, β = −0.60, p = 0.04). These findings suggest CNTN2 and BNDF are respective molecular markers for male and female neonates at risk for brain ID. This study supports the potential of exosomal markers to assess neonatal brain status in at-risk infants.
Progression to Cirrhosis Leads to Improvement in Atherogenic Milieu

The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) is high among patients with cirrhosis; however, the impact of it on cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not known. The aim of the current study was to evaluate CVD events in patients with cirrhosis and impact of cirrhosis on biomarkers of atherogenesis. The study included 682 patients with decompensated cirrhosis referred for liver transplantation (LT) evaluation between 2010 and 2017. All patients were followed until they experienced a CVD event, non-cardiac death, liver transplantation or last follow-up. To evaluate mechanistic link, patients with NASH cirrhosis were propensity matched 1:2 to non-cirrhosis NASH patients and biomarkers of atherogenic risk were compared. The composite CVD outcome occurred in 23(3.4%) patients after a median follow-up period of 585 days (IQR 139, 747). A strong association between presence of any CAD and CVD event was noted (HR = 6.8, 95% CI 2.9, 15.9) that was independent of age, gender, BMI, and MELD score. In competing risk model, the combined rate of LT and non-cardiac was significantly higher when compared to the rate of CVD events. Marker of insulin resistance and inflammation-related markers were similar in patients with and without cirrhosis. Patients with cirrhosis were more likely to have reduced VLDL, sdLDL-C, LDL-C, and triglycerides. Interestingly, patients with cirrhosis had an increase in serum HDL-2, the anti-atherogenic lipoprotein, and adiponectin, a protective serum adipokine. The risk of CVD events in patients with cirrhosis is low and may potentially be due to improvement in markers of atherogenic risk.
Magnetic-Assisted Robotic and Laparoscopic Renal Surgery: Initial Clinical Experience with the Levita Magnetic Surgical System.

Introduction: The Levita™ Magnetic Surgical System (LMSS) is a new device that can provide retraction using magnets and can reduce the number of ports used during laparoscopic and robotic procedure...
Dilemmas and Coping Strategies of Chinese International Students’ Mental Health Problems: The Parents’ Perspectives

Talking about mental health issues like depression with parents is a challenging exercise for Chinese international students (CISs) as well as their parents due to their cultural context and family hierarchical structure. This study engages with the parents of CISs to identify their dilemmas and coping strategies employed to discuss depression with their children studying in United States. Thirteen Chinese parents of CISs were recruited into in-depth interviews. A constant comparative method was employed for data analysis. The results revealed that the parents struggled with different dilemmas while talking about depression. Four coping strategies emerged: (a) communicating openly, (b) improving understanding through social media and shared experiences, (c) respecting, being sensitive, and not being judgmental, and (d) encouraging help-seeking and support-seeking. The findings provide crucial insights for mental health interventions involving parents of CISs.
An Efficient and Fair Scheduling for Downlink 5G Massive MIMO Systems

Massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) is one of the key enabling technology for future generation 5G networks, which groups antenna at both base station and the user terminals to provide high spectral and energy efficiency. Massive MIMO throughput can be increased by scheduling users experiencing good channel conditions, but the users at the edge of the cell with poor channel conditions are often ignored. To improve overall system performance, a certain amount of fairness must be ensured among all the users. In this paper, we propose a fair scheduling algorithm based upon user channel gain to provides higher throughput, sumrate, and better error performance. The simulation results of the proposed algorithm, when compared to the traditional scheduling algorithms, show that the proposed algorithm provides better throughput, sumrate, error performance, and ensures fairness among all users.
Can Assistant Principals’ Years of Experience Make a Difference in School Suspensions? A State-wide Analysis of North Carolina Assistant Principals:

School discipline disparities within the U.S. P-12 public schooling system have been a staple issue for over four decades. The enforcement of out-of-school suspensions, in particular by inexperienc...
Expression of HIV-1 Intron-Containing RNA in Microglia Induces Inflammatory Responses

Chronic neuroinflammation is observed in HIV+ individuals on suppressive combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and is thought to cause HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. We have recently reported that expression of HIV intron-containing RNA (icRNA) in productively infected monocyte-derived macrophages induces pro-inflammatory responses. Microglia, yolk sac-derived brain-resident tissue macrophages, are the primary HIV-1 infected cell type in the central nervous system (CNS). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that persistent expression of HIV icRNA in primary human microglia induces innate immune activation. We established multiple orthogonal primary human microglia-like cell cultures including peripheral blood monocyte-derived microglia (MDMG) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived microglia. Unlike MDMG, human iPSC-derived microglia (hiMG), which phenotypically mimic primary CNS microglia, were robustly infected with replication competent HIV-1, and establishment of productive HIV-1 infection and de novo viral gene expression led to pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Blocking of HIV-1 icRNA expression, but not multiply spliced viral RNA, either via infection with virus expressing a Rev-mutant deficient for HIV icRNA nuclear export or infection in the presence of small molecule inhibitor of CRM1-mediated viral icRNA nuclear export pathway, attenuated induction of innate immune responses. These studies suggest that Rev-CRM1-dependent nuclear export and cytosolic sensing of HIV-1 icRNA induces pro-inflammatory responses in productively infected microglia. Novel strategies targeting HIV icRNA expression specifically are needed to suppress HIV-induced neuroinflammation.
Spatial training using game play in preschoolers improves computational skills

Previous studies have found that block play results in better spatial ability which may lead to greater mathematical skills. The current study examined a specific type of block play, structured blo...
Universal quantitative neuromuscular blockade monitoring at an academic medical center—A multimodal analysis of the potential impact on clinical outcomes and total cost of care

Abstract Background Quantitative train-of-four monitoring is not currently the standard of care when using neuromuscular blockade, although it has the potential to eliminate the complications of residual neuromuscular blockade. There are major costs associated with the complications of residual neuromuscular blockade as well as the purchase of quantitative train-of-four monitors. The aim of this study was to determine the cost effectiveness of universal quantitative train-of-four ratio monitoring as it pertains to purchase and use of quantitative train-of-four monitors in comparison with potential costs of managing possible complications of residual neuromuscular blockade such as reintubation and pneumonia. Methods This observational study was conducted by the anesthesiology service for an urban academic medical center. All patients included were undergoing general endotracheal anesthesia with the use of neuromuscular blocking agents who were extubated at the end of their procedure. Qualitative and quantitative train-of-four ratio monitoring prior to extubation were compared to estimate the local incidence of residual post-operative neuromuscular blockade. The hospital electronic medical record and financial database were used to estimate the number of patients at risk for post-operative pneumonia or re-intubation, as well as the marginal costs associated with these complications. The incidence of residual post-operative neuromuscular blockade at the time of extubation was determined. The variable costs of care for patients who did or did not suffer either pneumonia or re-intubation in the postoperative period was compared to the annual cost of universal quantitative train-of-four ratio monitoring. Results A sensitivity analysis demonstrated that universal quantitative train-of-four ratio monitoring would result in a net cost savings for a broad range of efficacy estimates with regard to the reduction of post-operative pulmonary complications. Conclusions Introduction of universal quantitative train-of-four ratio monitoring may be justified based solely on the potential institutional cost savings.
COVID-19 Testing Trends: Pre-Radiation and Throughout Cancer Care.

Purpose/Objective(s) Timely care is critical for individuals diagnosed with cancer—despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic—as delays adversely affect cancer outcomes. Patients presenting for radiotherapy (RT) at a single institution who underwent COVID-19 screening procedures prior to RT were analyzed regarding treatment delays and disparities. Materials/Methods Our institution is an urban multidisciplinary cancer center. In April 2020, our Radiation Oncology department implemented universal COVID-19 screening protocols prior to RT initiation (with possible patient opt-out) to ensure patient/staff safety. Patients did not start RT until testing negative. We collected patient demographics and COVID-19 testing information on patients planned for RT from April to October 2020. We studied trends of other lifetime COVID-19 testing that these patients received to evaluate for overall delays. Summary statistics were analyzed within a data collection web application. Results 177 consecutive patients with cancer were scheduled to begin RT. 15 (8.5%) declined pre-RT COVID-19 testing and proceeded to RT. Of patients who consented to pre-RT testing, 99 (61.1%) were female; mean age was 60.6 (range 24-94). Most patients were Black (n = 98, 60.5%). 61 (37.7%) and 41 (25.3%) were insured through Medicare and Medicaid, respectively. Common primary cancer sites were breast (n = 52, 32.1%), prostate (n = 27, 16.7%), and lung (n = 23, 14.2%). 58 (35.8%) patients presented with metastatic disease; the most common metastatic sites were bone (n = 26, 44.8%) and brain (n = 12, 20.7%). Most patients received external RT (n = 152, 93.8%), primarily adjuvant (n = 66, 40.7%) and palliative (n = 59, 36.4%) RT. One (0.6%) asymptomatic patient tested "presumptive positive" for COVID-19 pre-RT. The patient was COVID-19 negative on immediate repeat testing and proceeded to RT. Overall, the 162 patients who consented to pre-RT testing received 549 total lifetime COVID-19 tests. Most of these patients received palliative RT (n = 219, 39.9%), followed by adjuvant (n = 199, 36.2%) and definitive RT (n = 101, 18.4%). Mean number of total COVID-19 tests per patient was 3.4 (range 1-14). Only 32 patients (19.8%) were administered a solitary pre-RT COVID-19 screening test. 24 (14.8%) patients had at least one positive COVID-19 test over the study period. In total, 32 (5.8%) positive COVID-19 test results were documented; 11 patients (6.8%) experienced a mean RT delay of 4.0 (range 3-8) weeks until testing negative. Other care delays included surgical/diagnostic procedure delays (n = 4), delayed presentation due to COVID-19 fears (n = 2), and travel restrictions (n = 1). Conclusion The majority of patients with cancer planned for RT tested negative for COVID-19 and proceeded to RT without delay. However, delays prior to radiation oncology consultation due to diagnostic workup, imaging, or biopsies, as well as testing positive for COVID-19, could intensify underlying disparities affecting our urban patient population.
Variations in Chromosome Number and Structure

The number of chromosomes in each cell of an organism is generally fixed and ranges from one in bacteria to hundreds in some plants and animals. Most organisms are diploids (2n) since their somatic cells have a chromosome complement consisting of two homologous sets. A few species, however, naturally have only one set of chromosomes, and they are called haploid or monoploid (1n). Gametes generated in diploid organisms by meiosis and gametogenesis also contain the haploid number of chromosomes. Any organism with complete sets of chromosomes that exceed two is a polyploid. The condition of polyploidy has been established surprisingly often among organisms, especially in plants. Aneuploidy, on the other hand, refers to cells or individuals that have one, two, or a few chromosomes either absent or in excess of the basic number for that species; that is, a lesser or higher number exist than found in complete sets. These differences are chromosome anomalies, and they can occur in a variety of ways. In addition, one or more individual chromosomes can be structurally altered into a variety of rearrangements. Such changes are called chromosome aberrations. Deviations from haploidy in sex cells, diploidy in somatic cells, and normal chromosome structure are not rare.
Lag-Stabilized Force Feedback Damping

A lag-stabilized, force feedback controller for damping initial and residual oscillations of a planar, cantilevered flexible arm has been analytically developed and experimentally implemented on a commercial robot. The controller feeds back force sensor measurements that are delayed in time and proportional to the displacement (angular orientation) of the arm in order to damp the oscillation. As a result of the lag (contrary to popular belief), the controlled robot system is stable and provides tunable performance on a Cincinnati Milacron T3-786 robot.
Synthetic Strategies and Parameters Involved in the Synthesis of Oligodeoxyribonucleotides According to the Phosphoramidite Method

The phosphoramidite approach has had a major impact on the synthesis of oligonucleotides. This unit describes parameters that affect the performance of this method for preparing oligodeoxyribonucleotides, as well as a number of compatible strategies. Milestones that led to the discovery of the approach are chronologically reported. Alternate strategies are also described to underscore the versatility by which these synthons can be obtained. Mechanisms of deoxyribonucleoside phosphoramidite activation, factors affecting condensation, and deprotection strategies are discussed.
The Economic Effects of Malaria Eradication: Evidence from an Intervention in Uganda

This study evaluates the economic consequences of a malaria eradication campaign in the southwestern Ugandan district of Kigezi. The project was a joint venture between the WHO and Uganda's Ministry of Health, designed to test for the first time the feasibility of malaria eradication in a sub-Saharan African country. During the years of 1959 and 1960, eradication efforts employing DDT spraying and mass distribution of anti-malarials were implemented, beginning in northern Kigezi. Follow-up studies reported a drop in overall parasite rates from 22.7 to 0.5% in hyperendemic areas and from 12.5 to 0% in mesoendemic areas. We use this campaign as a plausibly exogenous health shock to explore changes in human-capital formation and income. We employ a difference-in-difference methodology to show that eradication produced differential improvements in Kigezi compare to the rest of Uganda in years of schooling, literacy, and primary school completion. In addition, we find suggestive evidence that eradication increased income levels.
Quitting Certainties: A Bayesian Framework Modeling Degrees of Belief, by Michael G. Titelbaum

Let Pi(p) be my credence for p at time ti, and Pi(p/q) my credence for p conditional on q. Conditionalization (C) says that, if I learn q by tj, j > i, my updated credence Pj(p) should be Pi(p/q). ...
Exploring Epistemic Communities: A Gendered Perspective on Scientific Collaboration

Epistemic communities have been identified and studied through collaboration and citation analyses. One issue that has received increasing calls for research in this area is the role of gender, especially in light of significant variation in participation and productivity along gender lines. Accordingly, we argue for the active incorporation of gender as a central consideration in analyses aimed at assessing epistemic communities and their impact at individual, national, and international levels of analysis. Drawing on various theoretical perspectives and considering a range of empirical findings, directions for research are delineated for assessing gender differentiation in collaboration productivity and network participation, particularly in terms of scientific discipline, institutional referents, and professional age and status, along with socio-cultural and political characteristics. The development of gender-specific metrics at different levels of aggregation and their broader analytical incorporation are discussed relative to assessments of gender distributional inequities and network properties. We suggest that allowing for various factors dictated by individual circumstances and field and network conditions can lead to improved contextual consideration and help to fill gaps in our knowledge to provide better and more informed understandings about the productivity and career patterns of women scientists.
Leadership and Commitment: The United States of America and the Future of the Northeast Asian Order*

Since the end of World War II, peace, prosperity, and democracy have flourished in Northeast Asia in large part due to the USA's willingness to devote extraordinary resources and exert leadership through a series of bilateral commitments to the nations of the region. In the past two decades, crises in other parts of the world have captured US attention and resources: in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Soviet Union and now in the Middle East. What are the consequences of these demands on how the USA envisions its future role in Northeast Asia? We assess these consequences by evaluating the strategies that the USA has elaborated for the region and how those strategies resonate with people in the USA and in the region. Our analysis focuses on two questions: How does the USA envision its role in Northeast Asia? Does the USA have the political will to bear the costs to fulfill this role? We argue that despite increased demands on its attention and resources, the USA remains firmly committed to its leadership role in the region and the US-centric security architecture of bilateral institutions. Multilateral institutions will remain relatively ineffective and inefficient in addressing the most pressing regional issues.
Nonprofit Payments to Insiders and Outsiders: Is the Sky the Limit?

A quick peek at The Chronicle of Philanthropy salary survey indicates that salaries of nonprofit organization executives have increased dramatically over the past decade.1 Newspaper coverage of this topic suggests that some of these salary increases have not been well considered or properly approved.2 Over the past few decades, the law has struggled, somewhat unsuccessfully, to control these salary increases. In the summer of 1996, Congress enacted legislation as part of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights II in an attempt to curtail excessive payments to nonprofit executives.3 The legislation, which was codified as § 4958 of the Internal Revenue Code,4 imposes penalty excise taxes as a sanction on public charities and social welfare organizations that engage in “excess benefit transactions.”5
Distributed multimedia education with real-time feedback

The delivery of applications with both real-time and non-real-time service expectations, such as multimedia education, using the WWW has led to a new model for service provisioning. The profile of a distance learning session, including video-on-demand, is unlike any other service delivered over the WWW or a dedicated intranet. After developing several WWW-based multimedia distribution systems for distance learning. A profile and service expectation has been developed. By including real-time feedback to the students and administrators, information about the effectiveness of the education being delivered can be made. A pre-fetch or reservation strategy, coupled with historical information about student behavior can significantly improve information delivery to the desktop. Presentation of this model, a discussion of the design, and analysis of the results found in actual use are provided.
SIFT's scale-space extrema detection on GPU for real-time applications (WIP)

Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) are extensively used for parallel computation in scientific domains. In this work in progress paper, we demonstrate parallelization of the Scale Space Extrema Detection (SSED) part of the Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) algorithm to detect and extract local feature descriptors from high-resolution images in real-time. The parallelized SSED (PSSED) part is coded using CUDA C to execute on a GPU. A significant decrease in average computational time is achieved due to reducing the memory latency by reusing image information loaded onto the shared memory of the GPU. Further reduction is achieved by reducing the total number of computations by modifying the SSED implementation. The performance of the parallelized SSED is compared against Matlab based sequential and parallel SSED. The PSSED is shown to perform significantly better than the Matlab versions of SSED and to be applicable to real-time applications.
Additive manufacturing (AM) and nanotechnology: promises and challenges

Purpose – This paper aims to provide a review of available published literature in which nanostructures are incorporated into AM printing media as an attempt to improve the properties of the final printed part. The purpose of this article is to summarize the research done to date, to highlight successes in the field, and to identify opportunities that the union of AM and nanotechnology could bring to science and technology.Design/methodology/approach – Research in which metal, ceramic, and carbon nanomaterials have been incorporated into AM technologies such as stereolithography, laser sintering, fused filament fabrication, and three‐dimensional printing is presented. The results of the addition of nanomaterials into these AM processes are reviewed.Findings – The addition of nanostructured materials into the printing media for additive manufacturing affects significantly the properties of the final parts. Challenges in the application of nanomaterials to additive manufacturing are nevertheless numerous.Re...
A lightweight idempotent messaging protocol for faulty networks

As parallel machines scale to one million nodes and beyond, it becomes increasingly difficult to build a reliable network that is able to guarantee packet delivery. Eventually large systems will need to employ fault-tolerant messaging protocols that afford correct execution in the presence of a lossy network. In this paper we present a lightweight protocol that preserves message idempotence and is easy to implement in hardware. We identify the requirements for a correct implementation of the protocol. Experiments are performed in simulation to determine implementation parameters that optimize performance. We find that an aggressive implementation on a fat tree network results in a slowdown of less than 2x compared to buffered wormhole routing on a fault-free network.
A Mixed Integer Mathematical Programming Optimization Model for the NP-Hard Industrial Processes Scheduling Problem

This paper investigates single machine scheduling problem with unequal release times and deterioration jobs where the objective function of it is minimal makespan. A mixed integer mathematical programming optimization model is developed for the problem which belongs to the NP-hard problem. The model is tested on examples and compared with a heuristic algorithm introduced by Lee et al.. Moreover, the branch-bound algorithm proposed by Lee et al. also can obtained optimal solutions the same as the results from CPLEX but the CPU time of it for 28 jobs even needs more than 2 hours, thus, the results between them are not compared. According to results of computational tests, it is showed that the proposed model is very effective in solving problems because it can obtain optimal solutions within a short time. Therefore, it is very useful and valuable for decision maker who requires the optimal solutions.
Feasibility of Measuring the Effect of Knee Injury Prevention Training on Dynamic ACL Length During Jump Landing

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are very common, causing pain, loss of function, and medical expense. Women sustain ACL injuries more often than men. Most of these injuries (70%) are non-contact for women [1], occurring during pivoting or sudden deceleration [2]. Training programs have been developed to try to prevent these injuries in women. These programs are designed to improve strength, muscle balance, and knee control. Evaluating the effectiveness of training programs is difficult. To date, these evaluations have only assessed factors such as muscle activation and joint angles that are not directly related to ACL strain and ACL injury risk.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Resistant starch: a potential functional food ingredient

As the substantial contribution of resistant starch to food nutritional quality and disease prevention becomes more obvious, the challenge of incorporating it in the diet and increasing its intake remains. Western diets in particular, are estimated to have very low levels of resistant starch, and this has been linked to the prevalence of some of the non‐infectious diseases such as colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. There is a need therefore to increase the consumption of foods high in resistant starch. Resistant starch levels in food are determined by the nature of the starch and the processing techniques applied in production. Application of processes that optimize and stabilize resistant starch and its utilization as an ingredient in functional food product development will greatly contribute to its availability for consumption. This will enable attainment of the attendant physiological benefits of resistant starch, primarily in the area of disease prevention.
Space–time forecasting using soft geostatistics: a case study in forecasting municipal water demand for Phoenix, Arizona

Managing environmental and social systems in the face of uncertainty requires the best possible forecasts of future conditions. We use space–time variability in historical data and projections of future population density to improve forecasting of residential water demand in the City of Phoenix, Arizona. Our future water estimates are derived using the first and second order statistical moments between a dependent variable, water use, and an independent variable, population density. The independent variable is projected at future points, and remains uncertain. We use adjusted statistical moments that cover projection errors in the independent variable, and propose a methodology to generate information-rich future estimates. These updated estimates are processed in Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME), which produces maps of estimated water use to the year 2030. Integrating the uncertain estimates into the space–time forecasting process improves forecasting accuracy up to 43.9% over other space–time mapping methods that do not assimilate the uncertain estimates. Further validation studies reveal that BME is more accurate than co-kriging that integrates the error-free independent variable, but shows similar accuracy to kriging with measurement error that processes the uncertain estimates. Our proposed forecasting method benefits from the uncertain estimates of the future, provides up-to-date forecasts of water use, and can be adapted to other socio-economic and environmental applications.
Polypropylene/nylon 6 blends: Phase distribution morphology, rheological measurements, and structure development in melt spinning

A series of polypropylene (PP)/nylon 6 (N6) blends of composition 75/25, 50/50, and 25/75 have been prepared in a screw extruder combined with a Koch static mixer. The phase morphology was observed with a scanning electron microscope. The influence of heating in the reservoir of a rheometer followed by subsequent extrusion through a capillary on the phase morphology was investigated. Phase size growth as a function of time was observed under quiescent and mild deformation rate conditions. The discrete phase size was observed to decrease with increasing extrusion rate through dies. The shear viscosity and principal normal stress difference of the blends were measured as a function of composition. The crystalline orientation of both polypropylene and nylon 6 in blend melt spun fibers was characterized by wide angle X-ray diffraction and interpreted in terms of Hermans–Stein orientation factors. The orientation increases with drawdown ratio. The orientation factors for the polypropylene phase vary with spinline stress in a manner independent of composition and identical to that for pure polypropylene. Extracting melt spun blend fibers with formic acid has produced small-diameter polypropylene minifilaments with diameters of the order of microns.
Right Bundle-Branch Block. Hemodynamic, Vectorcardiographic and Electrocardiographic Observations

The time intervals between the onset of ventricular depolarization and of right ventricular contraction were studied in 36 patients, by means of cardiac catheterization, and were correlated with their vectorcardiograms and electrocardiograms. The onset of right ventricular contraction was delayed in six subjects without heart disease but with the electrocardiographic picture of right bundle-branch block. The onset of right ventricular contraction was found to be normal in 10 of 15 patients with right ventricular hypertrophy with the electrocardiographic picture of right bundle branch block. This indicates that this electrocardiographic configuration is not necessarily accompanied by delayed right ventricular contraction.
An Algorithm for the Open-Shop Problem

The open-shop problem is known to be NP-complete. However we give an algorithm, which solves the problem in polynomial time, whenever the sum of execution times for one processor is large enough with respect to the maximal execution time. According to the schedule given by our algorithm one of the processors works without idle time. Construction of this schedule is based on a suitable generalization of several “integer-making” techniques.