cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
L.E.A.P.: Localized energy awareness program through collaborative K-University STEM projects

As the world's energy usage continues to rise while the natural energy sources continue to dwindle, it is becoming more important that the general public's awareness of energy is increased. The National Academy of Engineering, NAE, has deemed this issue so important that five out of the fourteen Engineering Grand Challenges deal with energy. Raising awareness with children about energy consumption and generation issues will help create a sense of familiarity and potentially, a desire to follow career paths that deal with solving these future energy challenges. Introductory energy modules are being taught in K-12 classrooms in California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania with support from the National Science Foundation, NSF, GK-12 Ph.D. Candidate Fellows of Drexel University and the Dragon's Teach Program, which stems from the UTeach Program in the country. A Localized Energy Awareness Program, LEAP, has been formed through a K-University STEM collaborative project. Curriculum is being taken from the university level and broken down to each K-12 level to give insight into the topic of energy. In the new Next Generation Science Standards, NGSS, for science and engineering practices there are eight practices that should be taught at each level of K-12. Through these practices and the NAE Grand Challenges, energy awareness modules have been developed to bring into K-12 and Drexel University freshman engineering classrooms. The modules focus on the current energy usage situation, current active methods of energy harvesting including renewable and non-renewable energy sources, and modeling (drawing, building and computing depending on age group) new solutions and awareness for the energy crisis. Surveys are being used to gauge the effectiveness of our activities with the students, teachers, and participating undergraduate and graduate students. This is a work in progress and results of the surveys and work are still being processed.
COMPLEX COLONY STRUCTURE IN SOCIAL INSECTS: II. REPRODUCTION, QUEEN-WORKER CONFLICT, AND LEVELS OF SELECTION.

Differences in colony structure between two populations of the forest ant, Myrmica punctiventris, have had dramatic consequences on allocation to growth and reproduction. A population in Vermont, in which colonies have a single, once-mated queen, shows no evidence of inbreeding or population subdivision and has allocated 25% of sexual reproduction to males in two consecutive years. In contrast, for a population in New York that is facultatively polygynous, we have evidence of microgeographic genetic structure and inbreeding, and the populationwide allocation ratio was extremely male-biased. Additionally, the Vermont population allocated much more energy to sexual repro- duction than did the New York population. Detailed analysis of data from the Vermont population, within which colonies undergo a seasonal cycle of expansion to multiple nesting sites (polydomy), gave strong evidence of queen- worker conflict over male allocation and indicated that workers are winning that conflict. Finally, we used contextual analysis to find that fertility selection operates almost exclusively at the level of the individual nest rather than at the higher level of the multinest colony.
On the Synthesis of Realistic Sea States

Recent investigations by some researchers (Johnson et al, 1978; Burchart, 1979; Gravesen and Sorensen, 1977) have indicated that it is no longer sufficient to match the variance spectral density of a simulated sea state to that of the prototype. When testing models of various fixed and floating structures, it appears to be most important to simulate the wave grouping phenomenon as veil. Some researchers also believe that the wave steepness, the particular sequencing of high and low waves (Burchart, 1979) and the ratio of the maximum to the significant wave height within a wave train are also of significance. Methods for the generation of 'random1 waves throughout the world vary greatly. One may, however, categorize these in terms of two substantially different approaches. These may be referred to as "probabilistic" on the one hand and "deterministic" on the other. In the former, a random or pseudo-random noise source is used which will never repeat or which has a very long repetition period. The assumption is then made that, in the course of the long testing period, all possible outcomes of wave heights, wave periods and wave groups will occur. The only constraint, which is usually placed on the synthesis, is the shape of the variance spectral density and its zeroth moment. The "deterministic" approach, on the other hand, attempts to create very specific and typically extreme conditions. Subsequent analysis of structural response to these conditions must, of course, be related to the likelihood of these conditions occurring in the prevailing climate. The old standby method of testing with monochromatic waves is a typical example of this category. However, other technigues such as Funke and Mansard (1979a) and the reproduction of prototype wave trains as favoured by several laboratories (Gravesen and Sorensen, 1977) may also be described as deterministic.
Garbage In, Garbage Out: Challenges of Model Building in Global History, A Military Historical Perspective

This paper examines two prominent recent attempts to explain the phenomenon of the “rise of the West,” Ian Morris’s model of “Social Development” and Philipp Hoffman’s model of military power (Morris 2010, Morris 2013, Hoffman 2012, Hoffman 2015). Whereas most recent scholarship on the rise of the West has focused on economics, Morris and Hoffman widen the scope of comparison to other areas, in particular focusing on the measurement and explanation of divergences in military effectiveness. By drawing on recent work in China’s military history, the author shows that both models – but particularly that of Morris – are inadequate, falling back on older narratives of Western military superiority that have been challenged or disproven by recent scholarship in global military history. The article suggests, however, that the two models – and especially that of Hoffman – do raise significant new questions for future research, and it concludes by noting that what social scientists need more than new models at present is a closer attention to the rapid and ever increasing proliferation of scholarship in non-Western countries, and in particular that of the Sinophone world.
Deep-water erosional remnants in eastern offshore Trinidad as terrestrial analogs for teardrop-shaped islands on Mars: Implications for outflow channel formation

Discovery of geomorphological elements such as valleys and channel-like features on the surface of Mars has prompted debate over alternative origins for these morphologies, including erosion by lava, liquid CO 2 , glaciation, and mass wasting events. Similarities between Martian geomorphological elements and those of certain terrestrial environments suggest that water processes were involved in the formation of some visible Martian landscapes. Recent advances in three-dimensional seismic reflectivity imaging techniques, drawn mainly from oil and gas exploration activities in deep-water regions of the world, have allowed us to describe a variety of internal stratigraphic architectures that resemble some geomorphological features observed in the circum–Chryse Planitia region of Mars. For example, erosional shadow remnants that have been described as components of deep-water mass transport deposits in the eastern offshore margin of Trinidad closely resemble teardrop-shaped islands that have been described at the downstream end of outflow channels within the circum–Chryse Planitia region. These observations suggest that the teardrop-shaped islands might have been formed as a result of catastrophic submarine mass movements similar to those documented within continental margins on Earth.
Analysis of FDA-Approved Orthopaedic Devices and Their Recalls.

Background The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluates medical devices by two main pathways. The more stringent Premarket Approval (PMA) review requires clinical trials, and the Premarket Notification 510(k) process generally exempts devices from clinical trials if they prove to be substantially equivalent to existing devices. We hypothesized that orthopaedic devices are more likely to be cleared through the 510(k) process and thus are more susceptible to being recalled. Methods Using the FDA's public database, we searched for the following: PMA and 510(k) clearances for orthopaedics and non-orthopaedic specialties, including General & Plastic Surgery, Gastroenterology/Urology, Obstetrics/Gynecology, and Ear Nose & Throat, from 1992 to 2012. Additionally, we searched for all device recall events from 2002 to 2012. For the top-twenty recall companies, we calculated the odds ratio that compares the likelihood of recall for 510(k)-approved devices with that for PMA-approved devices. Results From 1992 to 2012, the proportion of non-orthopaedic devices cleared via the 510(k) process decreased from 91% to 53%. However, that of orthopaedic devices decreased only from 94% to 88%. Furthermore, we found that from 2002 to 2012, the percentage of recalled devices was 17.8% for 510(k)-cleared devices and 1.6% for PMA-approved devices. When stratified on the basis of recall class, the odds ratios were 3.5 for class-I devices, 13.2 for class-II devices, and 8.5 for class-III devices. Conclusions Given that 510(k)-cleared devices were 11.5 times more likely to be recalled than PMA-approved devices, it is concerning that most orthopaedic devices are cleared through the 510(k) process with limited clinical trials data. Clinical relevance When orthopaedic surgeons are considering using a new device clinically in their patients, it is important for them to consider how the new device was approved by the FDA. If the device was approved by the 510(k) pathway, then it may have been approved without additional clinical studies confirming efficacy or safety.
“Apostle of Ethnology”: Agnes C. L. Donohugh’s Missiological Anthropology Between the World Wars

Agnes C. L. Donohugh (1876–1966) taught at Hartford Theological Seminary’s Kennedy School of Missions between 1918 and 1944, the leading graduate program in mission studies in North America prior to World War II. The first missionary student of Franz Boas at Columbia University, Donohugh influenced the shape of graduate anthropological education for missionaries in America more than anyone else in the interwar period. Donohugh’s story provides a window into understanding how anthropology was first used in mission education in America.
Bending without breaking: A narrative review of trauma-sensitive yoga for women with PTSD

Abstract Objective The purpose of this review is to evaluate the peer-reviewed empirical evidence on the use of Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TSY) for the treatment of women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): specifically interpersonal trauma such as intimate partner violence. To date, no such review has been conducted. Methods Articles meeting study inclusionary criteria were identified through electronic database searches. A total of five studies ( N = 5) were selected and reviewed. These studies included two randomized controlled trials (RCT), one follow-up of an RCT, one quasi-experimental study, and one qualitative study. Results There is tentative evidence to support the efficacy of TSY in reducing PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptomatology for women with PTSD; there is also tentative evidence confirming the feasibility of implementing TSY as an adjunctive mental health intervention, particularly for individuals who are non-responsive to cognitive-based psychotherapies. The qualitative findings speak to a number of benefits of yoga practice stimulated by TSY participation centering on the phenomenon of peaceful embodiment. Conclusions Replication of these results using larger and more diverse samples and rigorous study designs by independent researchers would add credibility to these findings and contribute to the growing body of knowledge on TSY. Additionally, there is a dearth of studies on this nascent form of therapeutic yoga. Therefore, further research is needed to explore the potential efficacy of TSY with other types of trauma, populations, and settings.
Chronic disease and short stature

Careful graphing of the anthropometric measurements of children with chronic disease and short stature should be done to determine height and weight growth velocities. In addition, a detailed history can provide information helpful in determining the expected growth curve. If the chronic disease can be effectively treated (eg, malnutrition, emotional deprivation, celiac disease, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis), a period of rapid "catch-up" growth can be anticipated. The prognosis with regard to adult stature depends on the timing, duration, and severity of the growth-inhibiting influence.
A Music Imagery Intervention for Adults with Acute Leukemia in Protective Environments.

Patients with acute leukemia who receive intensive chemotherapy often require a prolonged hospitalization in a protective environment. The required isolation may increase the psychological distress related to the diagnosis and intensive chemotherapy treatment. The combination of music and imagery offers an innovative approach to reduce distress. To assess the feasibility and the potential efficacy of a music imagery intervention, we randomly assigned adults to standard care or standard care plus music imagery. The initial music imagery session with a board certified music therapist occurred within two days of admission and then twice weekly for 8 sessions. Each 45-minute session consisted of a relaxation exercise and patient created imagery while listening to music. Patients were encouraged to independently use the music imagery daily. Patients completed the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI), the FACIT-Fatigue, and the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) at baseline, then every 7 days until discharge, and at a follow-up outpatient clinic visit. Of the 78 patients approached for participation, 29 refused. The 3 most common reasons cited were: overwhelmed by treatment (9), not interested (8), and too sick (6). Forty-nine individuals were randomized to the intervention (25) or control (24) group. There were 19 men and 30 women and a majority of participants were married (65%). Average age for participants was 52 (SD 15.36) for intervention and 55 (SD 15.87) for control. The median length of stay was 28 and 26 days, respectively. For the intervention group, 8 (32%) individuals received 8 sessions, 5 (20%) received 5–7 sessions, 9 (36%) received 2–4, and 6 (24%) received 0–1 sessions. After adjusting for baseline scores, there was a main time effect in predicting Fatigue, PANAS-PA, PANAS-NA, and Anxiety (all p
Orthostatic hypotension, cognition, and Parkinson disease Dumbing down by standing up

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is associated with cognitive impairment in otherwise healthy individuals as well as among those with neurodegenerative diseases. There is much current interest in the OH–cognitive impairment connection.1–4 OH and cognitive impairment are both common in Parkinson disease and can lower quality of life. Nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments for OH are readily available, while treatments to modify the course of neurodegenerative cognitive impairment are nil. If the association between OH and cognitive impairment is causal and OH damages the brain, a promising window of therapeutic opportunity suggests itself. Alternately, OH and cognitive impairment are simply markers of a shared pathologic substrate.
Laboratory experiments on beach change due to nearshore mound placement

Abstract Movable-bed large-scale laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the fate and quantify the benefits of nearshore placed dredged material. Two tests were performed on a beach classified as eroding [19] for mounds placed in the active zone described by Hands and Allison [12] at two depths. Mound sand was dyed to provide contrast and to differentiate it from the native sand beach. Beach surveys were performed intermittently during each experiment with a laser scanner. In addition to beach change elevations, the scanner provided RGB color components, which permitted tracking of the mound sand. The experiments showed that the mound sand dispersed rapidly and was transported mainly downdrift. Sand accumulation was observed on the beach onshore and adjacent to the mounds mainly due to wave sheltering of the mounds described as the longshore effect by [28] . There was little contribution to onshore accretion from cross-shore migration of the mounds. Beach response was similar to that of an offshore breakwater in which the mounds provided a wave shadow zone to the leeward beach. The results from the experiment will provide validation data for the numerical morphological model C2SHORE [15] .
Economic assessment of concentrated solar power technologies: A review

Abstract This paper surveys economic assessments of concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies and finds two dominant assessment methods. A majority of studies reported in the literature are based on the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), while a small subset of studies consider time-varying meteorological and electricity market conditions. Several studies argue that LCOE undervalues dynamic flexibility provided by thermal energy storage and does not consider revenue opportunities provided by electricity markets at different time scales. As a result, some studies find that both LCOE and revenue can in fact be conflicting metrics for certain designs and market conditions. This review finds strong variations in LCOE and revenue estimates in the literature. As comparisons between CSP and other generation technologies (e.g., fossil, wind, and photovoltaic) are dictated by the chosen economic metric, it is imperative that policy and investment decisions should carefully consider time-varying effects and flexibility. Finally, research directions are proposed to increasing the fidelity of economic assessments and to mitigate discrepancies.
A Comparison of Remote Robot Teleoperation Interfaces for General Object Manipulation

Robust remote teleoperation of high-DOF manipulators is of critical importance across a wide range of robotics applications. Contemporary robot manipulation interfaces primarily utilize a free-positioning pose specification approach to independently control each axis of translation and orientation in free space. In this work, we present two novel interfaces, constrained positioning and point-and-click, which incorporate scene information, including points-of-interest and local surface geometry, into the grasp specification process. We also present results of a user study evaluation comparing the effects of increased use of scene information in grasp pose specification algorithms for general object manipulation. The results of our study show that constrained positioning and point-and-click significantly outperform the widely used free positioning approach by significantly reducing the number of grasping errors and the number of user interactions required to specify poses. Furthermore, the point-and-click interface significantly increased the number of tasks users were able to complete.
Reducing reverse conduction and switching losses in GaN HEMT-based high-speed permanent magnet brushless dc motor drive

The use of gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) is a promising solution for a highly efficient motor drive design due to their high-switching speed and low on-state resistance. However, the higher reverse voltage drop of GaN HEMTs than that of the conventional silicon (Si) devices generates significant reverse conduction loss during the freewheeling period. This phenomenon can be exacerbated especially when regenerative braking or bipolar PWM is utilized since the reverse conduction period increases. It can also lead to a device failure when high freewheeling current flows through the reverse conduction channel. This paper suggests a critical design consideration of GaN HEMT-based high-speed permanent magnet brushless DC motor drive regarding the reverse conduction and switching losses minimization. A diode-free GaN-HEMT-based single-phase brushless DC motor has been designed to quantify the effect of reverse conduction loss on the overall motor drive efficiency. Three different solutions to reduce the reverse conduction loss are applied and compared in detail. The switching characteristics are also investigated to quantify the effect of the additional antiparallel diode in GaN HEMT-based motor drive.
Comparison of endoscopic and external dacryocystorhinostomy for treatment of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare the success rates of endoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (EN-DCR) and external DCR (EX-DCR) for the treatment of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANLDO). DESIGN: This was a retrospective, comparative, nonrandomized clinical study. METHODS: Reviewed medical records of PANLDO underwent DCR at Far-Eastern Memorial Hospital from May 2011 to June 2017. Data regarding the lacrimal passage system, comorbidities, surgical outcomes, and postoperative complications were analyzed. Anatomical success was defined as patency confirmed by intranasal endoscopic inspection of the ostium and successful lacrimal irrigation; functional success was defined as complete resolution of epiphora and positive fluorescein dye disappearance test, which were assessed at postoperative 6th months. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy patients (37 males, 133 females, mean age 57 years) underwent 178 DCR surgeries for PANLDO. The overall anatomical success rate was 94.4% (93.5% in EN-DCR vs. 95.8% in EX-DCR, P = 0.511) and functional success rate was 90.4% (90.7% in EN-DCR and 90.1% in EX-DCR, P = 0.909). Surgical outcomes were comparable between two groups. Complication rate was low in both groups, including 11 cases of early canalicular stent dislodge (7 in EN-DCR, 4 in EX-DCR), one case of postoperative nasal bleeding in EN-DCR, and two skin wound dehiscence and three cutaneous keloid formation in EX-DCR. None of these cases were concluded into surgical failure at the final visit. The time to symptoms relief was statistical significantly shorter in EN-DCR group (1.7 vs. 3.7 weeks in EX-DCR, P CONCLUSIONS: Success rate of DCR for PANLDO in our study was high, and complication rate was low for both endoscopic and external approaches. There was no statistically significant difference between them. EN-DCR provided higher satisfaction due to quicker recovery and lack of external incision. Endoscopic DCR should be considered as the primary treatment of choice for PANLDO.
Stress Profiles and Their Implications for Intervention

This study surveyed 222 medical students and found that financial difficulties, single marital status and being farther along in medical school were likely to be associated with increased dysphoria. The lack of available psychiatric faculty to meet all the student needs led to the development of two innovative programs. Psychiatrists recruited and prepared clinicians to serve as mentors for first year medical students. Psychiatric staff also trained and supervised associate deans to lead student support groups as a separate intervention. Program evaluations by both students and faculty have been encouraging.
Chapter 18 – Application of mass spectrometry in brain research: neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and brain proteins

Publisher Summary This chapter covers the selected applications of mass spectrometry and highlights its power to support diverse studies focusing on the mammalian brain. Microdialysis employs a semipermeable hollow-fiber membrane implanted in the tissue. It allows for the sampling of chemicals from the extracellular space of the brain, when the implanted probe is perfused at low flow rates and usually with a solution mimicking the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with positive-ion electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has been shown to detect ACh with low limit of detection (1.4 fmol) and, thus, to measure this neurotransmitter and related endogenous compounds in rat brain microdialysates. Neuropeptides collected by microdialysis can be preconcentrated and desalted by reversed-phase LC, and subsequently supplied directly onto a micro- or nanoflow-LC column for gradient elution, and ESI-MS as well as MS/MS analysis. The separation and visualization of complex protein mixtures are commonly performed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). 2D-PAGE followed by in-gel protease (trypsin) digestion, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)/time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry, and sequence database searching is the technique most frequently used in today's neuroproteomics studies.
Neural and Endocrine Control of Circadian Rhythms in the Vertebrates

Although circadian oscillations may be generated at or below the cellular level, their behavioral expression in multicellular animals depends on neural and endocrine processes. This is true in the nontrivial sense that is implied by the fact that neural and endocrine structures have been identified that themselves oscillate, in a few cases independently of the rest of the organism. The nervous and endocrine systems are therefore not simply the output side of a circadian system, the interesting properties of which reside elsewhere, but rather contain the circadian system—its input sensors, its oscillators, and much of its output machinery. It would indeed be surprising if that were not the case. On the other hand, it is no longer necessary to accept that statement as a reasonable assumption. We have good evidence that it is true and can proceed to make it explicit by working out its details (Menaker, Taka-hashi, and Eskin, 1978). More importantly, we can begin to investigate the material basis of circadian organization and to search for general principles.
Implementation of Early Peanut Introduction Guidelines: It Takes a Village.

A landmark study showed that early peanut introduction in high-risk infants, defined as infants with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis or egg allergy, reduced the risk of developing peanut allergy. Since this trial, many international societies have updated feeding guidelines to promote early introduction of peanut, usually around 6 months of age. Implementing these guidelines on a national and international level has been challenging. Furthermore, there is confusion if allergy testing is needed before peanut introduction in high-risk infants. Despite these challenges, the data are promising, that implantation of early introduction guidelines can reduce the burden of peanut allergy.
Exploring empirical support for interpretation's best practices:

Since Freeman Tilden defined interpretation, numerous authors have proposed methodological best practices. The purposes of this meta-analysis were to identify best practices and examine the empiric...
Crystallization of Polymers: Crystallization under applied force

Introduction The discussion of crystallization kinetics, and the mechanisms involved, has so far been limited to quiescent crystallization. In essence, except for polymer structure and composition, the only variable considered was temperature. This has given a limited perspective to the overall subject, since polymers crystallize when subject to applied forces such as hydrostatic pressure, tensile, biaxial and shear deformation among others. Different morphologies and structures result from these types of crystallization. As a result, properties can be drastically altered. The analysis of the crystallization kinetics of polymeric systems when subject to such external forces is the subject of the present chapter. Although this an important area, the literature is not as rich as in some of the other areas that have been discussed. However, the results that have been obtained are interesting and hopefully will stimulate further inquiry. Effect of hydrostatic pressure Overall crystallization kinetics Under hydrostatic pressure the force is applied uniformly in all directions. The discussion will be divided into two parts: the overall crystallization kinetics in this section and spherulite growth rates in the following. The application of hydrostatic pressure increases both the glass and equilibrium melting temperatures. However, since each increases at a different rate the window for crystallization to occur will be altered.
Non-Homothetic Sudden Stops

Financial crises preceded by nontradable consumption booms are characterized by sharper real exchange rate depreciation and deeper economic contractions. We show that a small open economy model of Sudden Stops under non-homothetic preferences can rationalize the danger of credit-fueled nontradable booms. Nontradable goods are more income-elastic than tradable goods. Thus, when a credit boom leads to a Sudden Stop, the demand for nontradable goods contracts violently and proportionately more than under homothetic preferences, causing a larger depreciation that further decreases the collateral value amplifying the current account reversal by 24%. The amplified pecuniary externality calls for 15% more aggressive debt taxes and increases the welfare gains from simple rules.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stage at diagnosis of breast and colorectal cancers

6501Background: Effective cancer screening leads to a substantial increase in the detection of earlier stages of cancer, while decreasing the incidence of later stage cancer diagnoses. Timely scree...
Sex-specific cut-off values for soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) biomarker increase its cardiovascular prognostic value in the community.

Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) has important cardiovascular prognostic value in community patients; however, previous analyses have utilized non-sex specific cut-off values. We assessed whet...
Impact of international research fellows in neurosurgery: results from a single academic center.

Objective International research fellows have been historically involved in academic neurosurgery in the United States (US). To date, the contribution of international research fellows has been underreported. Herein, the authors aimed to quantify the academic output of international research fellows in the Department of Neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Methods Research fellows with Doctor of Medicine (MD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), or MD/PhD degrees from a non-US institution who worked in the Hopkins Department of Neurosurgery for at least 6 months over the past decade (2010-2020) were included in this study. Publications produced during fellowship, number of citations, and journal impact factors (IFs) were analyzed using ANOVA. A survey was sent to collect information on personal background, demographics, and academic activities. Results Sixty-four international research fellows were included, with 42 (65.6%) having MD degrees, 17 (26.6%) having PhD degrees, and 5 (7.8%) having MD/PhD degrees. During an average 27.9 months of fellowship, 460 publications were produced in 136 unique journals, with 8628 citations and a cumulative journal IF of 1665.73. There was no significant difference in total number of publications, first-author publications, and total citations per person among the different degree holders. Persons holding MD/PhDs had a higher number of citations per publication per person (p = 0.027), whereas those with MDs had higher total IFs per person (p = 0.048). Among the 43 (67.2%) survey responders, 34 (79.1%) had nonimmigrant visas at the start of the fellowship, 16 (37.2%) were self-paid or funded by their country of origin, and 35 (81.4%) had mentored at least one US medical student, nonmedical graduate student, or undergraduate student. Conclusions International research fellows at the authors' institution have contributed significantly to academic neurosurgery. Although they have faced major challenges like maintaining nonimmigrant visas, negotiating cultural/language differences, and managing self-sustainability, their scientific productivity has been substantial. Additionally, the majority of fellows have provided reciprocal mentorship to US students.
Multi-Core Processors: Concepts and Implementations

This research paper aims at comparing two multi-core processors machines, the Intel core i7-4960X processor (Ivy Bridge E) and the AMD Phenom II X6. It starts by introducing a single-core processor machine to motivate the need for multi-core processors. Then, it explains the multi-core processor machine and the issues that rises in implementing them. It also provides a real life example machines such as TILEPro64 and Epiphany-IV 64-core 28nm Microprocessor (E64G401). The methodology that was used in comparing the Intel core i7 and AMD phenom II processors starts by explaining how processors' performance are measured, then by listing the most important and relevant technical specification to the comparison. After that, running the comparison by using different metrics such as power, the use of Hyper-Threading technology, the operating frequency, the use of AES encryption and decryption, and the different characteristics of cache memory such as the size, classification, and its memory controller. Finally, reaching to a roughly decision about which one of them has a better over all performance.
Single cell profiling of the Timp gene family

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs/Timps) are an endogenous family of widely expressed matrisome-associated proteins that were initially identified as inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase activity (Metzincin family proteases). Consequently, TIMPs are often considered simply as protease inhibitors by many investigators. However, an evolving list of new metalloproteinase-independent functions for TIMP family members suggests that this concept is outdated. These novel TIMP functions include direct agonism/antagonism of multiple transmembrane receptors, as well as interactions with matrisome targets. While the family was fully identified over 2 decades ago, there has yet to be an in-depth study describing the expression of TIMPs in normal tissues of adult mammals. An understanding of the tissues and cell-types that express TIMPs 1 through 4, in both normal and disease states are important to contextualize the growing functional capabilities of TIMP proteins, which are often dismissed as non-canonical. Using publicly available single cell RNA sequencing data from the Tabula Muris Consortium, we analyzed approximately 100,000 murine cells across nineteen tissues from non-diseased organs, representing seventy-three annotated cell types, to define the diversity in Timp gene expression across healthy tissues. We describe that Timp genes display unique expression profiles across tissues and organ-specific cell types. Within annotated cell-types, we identify clear and discrete cluster-specific patterns of Timp expression, particularly in cells of stromal and endothelial origins. Differential expression and gene set pathway analysis provide evidence of the biological significance of Timp expression in these identified cell sub-types, which are consistent with novel roles in normal tissue homeostasis and changing roles in disease progression. This understanding of the tissues, specific cell types and conditions of the microenvironment in which Timp genes are expressed adds important physiological context to the growing array of novel TIMP protein functions.
Re-establishing Trust in Compromised Systems: Recovering from Rootkits That Trojan the System Call Table

We introduce the notion of re-establishing trust in compromised systems, specifically looking at recovering from kernel-level rootkits. An attacker that has compromised a system will often install a set of tools, known as a rootkit, which will break trust in the system as well as serve the attacker with other functionalities. One type of rootkit is a kernel-level rootkit, which will patch running kernel code with untrusted kernel code. Specifically, current kernel-level rootkits replace trusted system calls with trojaned system calls. Our approach to recover from these type of rootkits is to extract the system call table from a known-good kernel image and reinstall the system call table into the running kernel. Building on our approach to current generation rootkits, we discuss future generation rootkits and address how to recover from them.
Temperature‐dependent, micro‐Raman spectroscopic study of barium titanate nanoparticles

A comparative, temperature-dependent (80–500 K at 5 K intervals), micro-Raman spectroscopic study of 300 and 50 nm diameter ceramic BaTiO3 nanoparticles was carried out with the purpose of elucidating the nanoparticle size effect on the temperature dependence of the polar and non-polar phonons. A method for calibrating Raman intensities, along with an iterative spectral fitting algorithm, is proposed for concurrent Raman band position and intensity analysis, increasing the analytical abilities of single temperature point Raman spectroscopy. The 300 nm particles exhibit all three phase transitions, whereas the 50 nm particles do not show evidence of these phase transitions in the same temperature range. The Curie temperature appears to be a phonon converging point, irrespective of the phonon symmetry. An attempt was made to qualitatively relate the temperature-dependent Raman spectra to complimentary non-spectroscopic methods, such as heat capacity and X-ray diffraction studies. The study proves that the temperature-dependent behavior of the polar phonon, 265 cm−1, can be utilized as a sensitive phase transition probe. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unsolved Mysteries of High-velocity Clouds

This contribution explores three “unsolved” mysteries of the high-velocity clouds: what surrounds HVCs, what makes up HVCs, and are HVCs important? Most models of HVCs assume, for convenience, that they exist in an isothermal, static Galactic Halo, but this chapter shows that there is considerable uncertainty in the density, temperature, ionization, and velocity structure of the gaseous environs of the Galaxy. Most treatments of HVCs concentrate on the neutral gas, but the ionized gas and possible dark matter could be the dominant component by mass. There are even hints that some HVCs could be completely ionized. Magnetic fields, dust, and molecular gas also play a relatively unconstrained role in shaping HVC structure. Depending on the total mass reservoir represented by HVCs, they could play an important role in galactic chemical evolution, and may provide our sole way of studying the low-mass dark-matter potential wells expected in ΛCDM models of galaxy formation. The more we learn about HVCs, the more mysterious and tantalizing they become.
Enzymatic Analysis of Tet Proteins: Key Enzymes in the Metabolism of DNA Methylation

One of the most exciting recent advances in the epigenetic field is the discovery that 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in DNA can be iteratively oxidized by a family of proteins known as Tet proteins to generate 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). These 5mC derivatives can be further processed by thymine-DNA glycosylase (TDG) followed by base excision repair or by replication-dependent dilution leading to DNA demethylation. Given the similarity between 5mC and its oxidation derivatives, many of the conventional techniques used for 5mC analysis cannot distinguish between 5mC and 5hmC/5fC/5caC. Here, we describe 2D-TLC and mass spectrometry methods that we have successfully used in differentiating 5mC from its oxidative derivatives as well as in characterizing the enzymatic activity of Tet proteins both in vitro and in vivo.
Pathogenesis of Clostridium botulinum Type A: Study of In Vivo Toxin Release by Implantation of Diffusion Chambers Containing Spores, Vegetative Cells, and Free Toxin

Millipore diffusion chambers (MDC) with 0.22-mum filters loaded with spores or vegetative cells of Clostridium botulinum were surgically implanted intraperitoneally (ip) into guinea pigs. MDC expose C. botulinum spores or vegetative cells to body fluids yet protect them from phagocytes. Guinea pigs receiving MDC containing 10(9) spores plus 10(8) polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocytes and MDC with 10(9) vegetative cells died within 48 hr, indicating that toxin was released and diffused out. MDC with 10(9) spores alone allowed 90% of animals to survive for at least 96 hr. Microscopically, it was observed that vegetative cells in MDC were disintegrated and leukocytes plus spores were phagocytized and germinated; spores alone remained intact and phase bright. Chemotactic attraction of leukocytes to MDC walls was also observed. Apparently, body fluids do not attack spores; thus, PMN leukocyte engulfment is essential for germination and release of spore-bound toxin in this type of C. botulinum pathogenesis. However, vegetative cells appear to be attacked by bacteriolytic enzymes (e.g., lysozyme) in body fluids, and leukocyte engulfment is not essential for toxin release.
Spatial tethering of kinases to their substrates relaxes evolutionary constraints on specificity.

Summary Signal transduction proteins are often multi-domain proteins that arose through the fusion of previously independent proteins. How such a change in the spatial arrangement of proteins impacts their evolution and the selective pressures acting on individual residues is largely unknown. We explored this problem in the context of bacterial two-component signalling pathways, which typically involve a sensor histidine kinase that specifically phosphorylates a single cognate response regulator. Although usually found as separate proteins, these proteins are sometimes fused into a so-called hybrid histidine kinase. Here, we demonstrate that the isolated kinase domains of hybrid kinases exhibit a dramatic reduction in phosphotransfer specificity in vitro relative to canonical histidine kinases. However, hybrid kinases phosphotransfer almost exclusively to their covalently attached response regulator domain, whose effective concentration exceeds that of all soluble response regulators. These findings indicate that the fused response regulator in a hybrid kinase normally prevents detrimental cross-talk between pathways. More generally, our results shed light on how the spatial properties of signalling pathways can significantly affect their evolution, with additional implications for the design of synthetic signalling systems.
Effects of rolipram and CI-930 on IL-2 mRNA transcription in human Jurkat cells.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a major mediator of immunologic responses involved in many chronic inflammatory diseases. We have investigated the effects of rolipram, a PDE-IV inhibitor, and CI-930, a PDE-III inhibitor, on IL-2 gene expression in the Jurkat human T cell line. The immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (CsA) was included as a positive control. Jurkat cells were stimulated with 1μg/ml phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and 50 ng/ml phorbol 12-myristate, 13-acetate (PMA) for 6 h, and mRNA was analyzed using reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR). IL-2 transcription was greatly inhibited by 1 μM CsA, whereas neither 10 μM rolipram nor 10 μM CI-930 had any effect on steady-state levels of IL-2 mRNA. Therefore, PDE inhibitors do not affect synthesis of IL-2 mRNA in this model of activated T cells. This is of interest given that these agents inhibit the proliferation of primary T cells. For murine splenocytes stimulated by 2.5 μg/ml concanavalin A (Con A), rolipram had an IC50 of 0.09 μM and CI-930 an IC50 of 4.4 μM. These concentrations are below those at which IL-2 mRNA synthesis was shown to be unaffected. Therefore, the mechanism by which inhibitors of PDE-III and PDE-IV affect T cell proliferation is not likely to involve suppression of IL-2 mRNA transcription.
Support for animal rights as a function of belief in evolution, religious fundamentalism, and religious denomination

The present study examined the relationship among religious denomination, fundamentalism, belief about human origins, gender, and support for animal rights. Eighty-two college undergraduates filled out a set of 3 questionnaires: The Religious Fundamentalism Scale (Altemeyer & Hunsberger, 2004), beliefs about human origins (creationism, intelligent design, or evolution), and the Animal Rights Scale (Wuensch, Jenkins, & Poteat, 2002). Because conservative Protestants and fundamentalists adhere to religious doctrine that espouses a discontinuity between humans and other species, the study predicted they would have lower support for animal rights. Further, proponents of evolution—who tend to view species as interconnected—would advocate animal rights more so than creationists and believers of intelligent design theory. Results supported the hypotheses. A multiple regression analysis revealed that the religious variables and gender were significant in predicting support for animal rights.
An instance of temperature-dependent elution order of enantiomers from a chiral brush-type HPLC column

Typically, reduction of column temperature increases the enantioselectivity of a chiral stationary phase. An instance in which progressive reduction of temperature initially reduces enantioselectivity, then inverts the elution order of the enantiomers, and finally causes enantioselectivity to increase has been observed. This behavior is related to the nature and concentration of the polar modifier in the mobile phase, and requires particular chiral phase-analyte-mobile phase combinations. A rationalization is presented as to the possible origin of this behavior. This rationale may aid in finding other examples of this temperature-dependent elution order of enantiomers and ultimately increase our understanding of chiral recognition processes.
Non-axisymmetric Homann stagnation-point flows

A modification of Homann’s axisymmetric outer potential stagnation-point flow of strain rate is obtained by adding periodic radial and azimuthal velocities of the form and , respectively, where is a shear rate. This leads to the discovery of a new family of asymmetric viscous stagnation-point flows depending on the shear-to-strain-rate ratio that exist over the range . Numerical solutions for the wall shear stress parameters and the displacement thicknesses are given and compared with their large- asymptotic behaviours. Sample similarity velocity profiles are also presented.
The gold standard crisis of 1847

Abstract This paper examines the operation of the gold standard during the crisis of 1847. The crisis — commercial distress and financial panic — originated from a harvest failure rather than from monetary disorder. Following an outline of the events, we present a model of the financial sector which highlights the role of external and internal convertibility and is used to interpret the crisis. The 1847 crisis shows that international capital flow played a key role. It demonstrates that the gold standard was not characterized by automatic, non-discretionary adjustment. Faced with a confidence crisis and external gold drains, the Bank of England suspended Peel's Act and thereby was free to issue fiat money. It is argued that suspension of Peel's Act was the proper policy to restore confidence. The paper also sheds light on the role of a lender of last resort.
Graphics as an expert system user interfacing media

Abstract This paper demonstrates the usefulness of using graphics as an user interfacing media in expert systems. The graphics interfacing ability of the Personal Consultant Plus, an expert system development tool, is examined. A graphics image can be created by a graphics editor or a sophisticated drafting software package, such as TelePaint, PC Palette, Story Board, AutoCAD, etc. The graphics image can then be captured and utilized in the expert system in various ways. The user interface using graphics makes an expert system easier to use and to understand.