#Peer-Reviewed Computer Science Journal

[fdrpjournals]

The Indian Journal of Computer Science and Technology (INDJCST) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that delivers cutting-edge research and advancements in computer science to scientists, engineers, and technology professionals.

It highlights the latest findings across four key domains: computing (including theory, scientific, cloud, and high-performance computing), systems (such as database, real-time, and operating systems), intelligence (covering robotics, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence), and applications (encompassing security, networking, software engineering, and more).

[nebulousnonsense]

For those who don't know, scientists have to pay academic journals to publish their data. This led to the existence of predatory journals, which usually have little to no peer review process and will publish just about anything to collect publication fees. Notably, they also harass you with spam emails trying to get you to publish with them. I brought up the spam emails to my advisor today, and he told me about perhaps the greatest response to predatory journals of all time. David Mazières and Eddie Kohler published the following article in the International Journal of Advanced Computer Technology:

It even has a figure!

They paid actual money to have this published just for the bit. I live for this kind of petty science drama

[anarcho-physicist]

After 4 years of work, I've finally published my very first peer-reviewed theory paper: Design rules for controlling active topological defects

(and it's open access! :D)

I am sooo excited to finally be able to share this! I'll probably write some more in the future about what it was like to work on this project, but for now here's what I want to say about it:

I think this work is a beautiful example of how the long, meandering paths of curiosity-driven research can bring us in completely unexpected directions, yielding new ideas and technologies that might never have been found by problem- or profit-driven research.

We started this project because we were interested in the fundamental physics of active topological defects; we wanted to understand and develop a theory to explain their effective properties, interactions, and collective behaviors when they're hosted by a material whose activity is not constant throughout space and time.

Along the way, we accidentally stumbled into a completely new technique for controlling the flow of active 2D nematic fluids, by using symmetry principles to design activity patterns that can induce self-propulsion or rotation of defect cores. This ended up being such a big deal that we made it the focus of the paper, for a few reasons:

Topological defects represent a natural way to have discrete information in a continuous medium, so if we wanted to make a soft material capable of doing logical operations like a computer, controlling active defects might be a really good way of putting that together.

There have also been a number of biological systems that have been shown to have the symmetries of active nematics, with experiments showing that topological defects might play important roles in biological processes, like morphogenesis or cell extrusion in epithelia. If we could control these defects, we'd have unprecedented control over the biological processes themselves.

Right now the technique has only been demonstrated in simulations, but there are a number of experimental groups who are working on the kinds of materials that we might be able to try this in, so hopefully I'll get to see experimental verification someday soon!

[brightlotusmoon]

344 days. That’s how long I served as Chief of the Autism, ADHD, and Externalizing Disorders Interventions Research Program at NIMH before being illegally terminated—just 21 days before completing my probationary period.

On Friday, I was told to expect a termination letter at 4 PM, after which my access to government systems and email would be immediately cut off. I was warned to download it immediately, because I would need it to file for unemployment before losing access.

I spent Valentine’s Day glued to my computer. 4 PM came. Then 5. Then 9. Nothing.

Finally, at 4:54 PM on Saturday, it came.

"Unfortunately, the Agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge, and skills do not fit the Agency’s current needs, and your performance has not been adequate to justify further employment at the Agency."

This—despite a stellar performance review weeks ago.

This—despite receiving an NIMH Director’s Award.

This—despite being recruited SPECIFICALLY for my subject matter expertise in autism and neurodevelopmental disabilities, clinical trials, and community-based effectiveness research.

After two decades in academic research and advocacy, I was hired to help develop ways to get low-cost, evidence-based mental health care into schools and community settings—so ALL kids could access specialized treatment, not just those with private insurance or parents who could take time off work.

When I left Children’s National, I left behind:

- A tenured associate professor career

- Five active large-scale grants

- 40+ peer-reviewed publications

- A school-based EF curricula I ran through two clinical trials, now used in 15+ districts

- A journal editor position

- A community of the best, most brilliant, selfless colleagues and friends I deeply respect

Life as a woman in science and academia is brutal, but I was part of a mission-driven community—one that fights for fundamental human rights and values differences as assets, not liabilities.

I didn’t take the move to NIMH lightly—I went because I believed in shaping the future of autism and mental health research, impacting policy, and ensuring that science actually reaches the communities that need it most. And I LOVED my job. I found that same community in my division.

Because at the end of the day - EVERY child deserves access to mental health care.

Not just those who can afford it.

Not just those in the "right" zip code.

Not just those who fit neatly into a system built for a select few.

Reaching out with condolences is fine, but we need urgent action. Even if things are not affecting you NOW, I need you to fight for the fundamental human rights of others.

🔹 Call your representatives. Demand accountability. Speak out.

🔹 Download the 5calls.org app. Make your voice heard every day.

🔹Speak out against the injustice of everyone who lost - and will lose - their livelihoods and passions trying to serve others.

[eponymous-rose]

Thursday is work-from-home day! Time to destroy this to-do list.

I'm just going to reproduce yesterday's list, since that should be helpful:

Send my forest service colleague the financial info he's been waiting so patiently to get from me. This will involve coordinating with our terribly understaffed grants team and may involve me writing a few pages of justifications, so I'm anticipating this one will take a few hours.

This one was tough, but after quick call to him and many texts back and forth, I think I've got everything finished and sent to my grants team!

Write letters of support for my PhD student. These are a joy to write and shouldn't take too long.

These really were fun to write - I can't say enough good things about this student, so it's fun to get to do that in a formal statement that will have a measurable impact on his career.

Provide comments to the postdoc out in Switzerland about her proposal. It's not a super long proposal, but it looked a little rough the last time I saw it, so I'm steeling myself for what may be a long read.

It's actually looking considerably better than I remembered! I get through pretty quickly and remind her to cover a couple comments she missed last time around.

Decide whether I want to submit an abstract to a conference that'll be happening in June. It's not needed for me, but it's close by, a good friend is running it, it looks relevant, and I have some travel funds that will be deleted if they're not used by November. If I decide to go for it, writing the abstract won't take long at all.

I've decided against this for all sorts of practical reasons, but also because I'd like to hang on to some of that funding in case my PhD student needs to stay on as a postdoc for a month or two.

There's a questionnaire asking how my research would be impacted by various political things going on, so I need to fill that one out.

I passed on this for now.

I have a peer review for a scientific journal due on Monday that I've already delayed once - I simply gotta write it. I'm good friends with the editor, so I want to help him get that off his to-do list as well.

Nope, this one's moving to Friday.

There's some required grants training that expires after four years, so I guess it's time for me to do that again.

This was basically 10 minutes (on 2x speed, amazing). Phew.

There's a possibility of applying for a major grant with a friend in the computer science department. I don't know if either of us can put this on our plates, but we should at least chat about it quickly.

Reply to my absentee finishing-remotely-while-starting-a-new-job-but-has-been-incommunicado Master's student who reached out yesterday for the first time in three years.

Work on revisions to a grant proposal - I promised my co-author that we'd have the proposal draft ready to go by Feb. 7.

Work on revisions to the review article I have to cut down by about 5,000 words.

Moving these four to next week!

The reason why I had to move so much? Just SO much annoying grants stuff. It looks like the formatting of our documents was incorrect in a couple of new and exciting ways and things didn't get submitted the way they should, who knows why. Anyway, got it resolved (I think?) after six million frustrating e-mails and going to chip away at my inbox while eating a very late lunch, then start laundry.

My mood is immediately improved by some job-related news that is deeply validating. Phew. And I get to spend some time in the evening pricing cards for Sunday's show!

Tomorrow: a class, a couple meetings, hopefully some of that paper review (realistically it'll get done on Monday)... and then D&D and the weekend!

[darkmaga-returns]

by Nicolas Hulscher, MPH

The study titled, Vaccination and Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Study of Nine-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Medicaid, was just published after successful peer-review in the journal Science, Public Health Policy and the Law:

Background: Vaccinations required for school attendance have increased nearly threefold since the 1950s, now targeting 17 infectious diseases. However, the impact of the expanded schedule on children’s overall health remains uncertain. Preliminary studies comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated children have reported that the vaccinated are significantly more likely than the unvaccinated to be diagnosed with bacterial infections, allergies, and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). The objective of this study was to determine the association between vaccination and NDDs in 9-year-old children enrolled in the Medicaid program. The specific aims were to test the hypothesis that: 1) vaccination is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other NDDs; 2) preterm birth coupled with vaccination increases the odds of NDDs compared to preterm birth without vaccination; and 3) increasing numbers of vaccinations are associated with increased risks of ASD. Methods: The study population comprised children born and continuously enrolled in the Florida State Medicaid program from birth to age 9. Vaccination uptake was measured by numbers of healthcare visits that included vaccination-related procedures and diagnoses. Cross-sectional analyses were performed to calculate prevalence odds ratios (Aims 1-2). A retrospective cohort design was used to compute relative risks specifically of ASD (Aim 3).

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

I'm in TARTU, ESTONIA! AI, copyright and creative workers' labor rights (TOMORROW, May 10, 8AM: Science Fiction Research Association talk, Institute of Foreign Languages and Cultures building, Lossi 3, lobby). A talk for hackers on seizing the means of computation (TOMORROW, May 10, 3PM, University of Tartu Delta Centre, Narva 18, room 1037).

#20yrsago Japan jails academic for writing P2P app https://web.archive.org/web/20040512194433/http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/latest/story/0,4390,250207,00.html

#20yrsago Blogger redesign notes https://stopdesign.com/journal/2004/05/09/blogger.html

#20yrsago TheyRule: applying information design to corporate directorships https://theyrule.net

#20yrsago Don’t just protect the unconceived: protect the inanimate! https://fafblog.blogspot.com/2004_05_02_fafblog_archive.html#108411098508640046

#15yrsago Brit MP saw undercover cops egging crowd to riot at G20 https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/may/10/g20-policing-agent-provacateurs

#15yrsago Elsevier has an entire division dedicated to publishing fake advertorial “peer-reviewed” journals https://science.slashdot.org/story/09/05/09/1514235/more-fake-journals-from-elsevier

#10yrsago Against the instrumental argument for surveillance https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2014/may/09/cybersecurity-begins-with-integrity-not-surveillance

#10yrsago Congressmen ask ad companies to pretend SOPA is law, violate antitrust https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/05/pols-ad-networks-pretend-we-passed-sopa-and-never-mind-about-antitrust

#10yrsago Japanese man arrested for 3D printing and firing guns https://kotaku.com/japanese-man-arrested-for-having-guns-made-with-a-3d-pr-1573358490

#5yrsago Americans with diabetes are forming caravans to buy Canadian insulin at 90% off https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/americans-diabetes-cross-canada-border-insulin-1.5125988

#5yrsago Big Tech is deleting evidence needed to prosecute war crimes, and governments want them to do more of it https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/05/facebook-algorithms-are-making-it-harder/588931/

#5yrsago Buried in Uber’s IPO, an aggressive plan to destroy all public transit https://48hills.org/2019/05/ubers-plans-include-attacking-public-transit/

#1yrago KPMG audits the nursing homes it advises on how to beat audits https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/09/dingo-babysitter/#maybe-the-dingos-ate-your-nan

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Aaron Sibarium

Published: Jan 30, 2024

It's not just Claudine Gay. Harvard University's chief diversity and inclusion officer, Sherri Ann Charleston, appears to have plagiarized extensively in her academic work, lifting large portions of text without quotation marks and even taking credit for a study done by another scholar—her own husband—according to a complaint filed with the university on Monday and a Washington Free Beacon analysis.

The complaint makes 40 allegations of plagiarism that span the entirety of Charleston's thin publication record. In her 2009 dissertation, submitted to the University of Michigan, Charleston quotes or paraphrases nearly a dozen scholars without proper attribution, the complaint alleges. And in her sole peer-reviewed journal article—coauthored with her husband, LaVar Charleston, in 2014—the couple recycle much of a 2012 study published by LaVar Charleston, the deputy vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, framing the old material as new research.

Through that sleight of hand, Sherri Ann Charleston effectively took credit for her husband's work. The 2014 paper, which was also coauthored with Jerlando Jackson, now the dean of Michigan State University's College of Education, and appeared in the Journal of Negro Education, has the same methods, findings, and description of survey subjects as the 2012 study, which involved interviews with black computer science students and was first published by the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education.

The two papers even report identical interview responses from those students. The overlap suggests that the authors did not conduct new interviews for the 2014 study but instead relied on LaVar Charleston's interviews from 2012—a severe breach of research ethics, according to experts who reviewed the allegations.

"The 2014 paper appears to be entirely counterfeit," said Peter Wood, the head of the National Association of Scholars and a former associate provost at Boston University, where he ran several academic integrity probes. "This is research fraud pure and simple."

Sherri Ann Charleston was the chief affirmative action officer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before she joined Harvard in August 2020 as its first-ever chief diversity officer. In that capacity, Charleston served on the staff advisory committee that helped guide the university's presidential search process that resulted in the selection of former Harvard president Claudine Gay in December 2022, according to the Harvard Crimson.

A historian and attorney by training, Charleston has taught courses on gender studies at the University of Wisconsin, according to her Harvard bio, which describes her as "one of the nation's leading experts in diversity." The site says that her work involves "translating diversity and inclusion research into practice for students, staff, researchers, postdoctoral fellows and faculty of color."

Experts who reviewed the allegations against Charleston said that they ranged from minor plagiarism to possible data fraud and warrant an investigation. Some also argued that Charleston had committed a more serious scholarly sin than Gay, Harvard's former president, who resigned in January after she was accused of lifting long passages from other authors without proper attribution.

Papers that omit a few citations or quotation marks rarely receive more than a correction, experts said. But when scholars recycle large chunks of a previous study—especially its data or conclusions—without attribution, the duplicate paper is often retracted and can even violate copyright law.

That offense, known as duplicate publication, is typically a form of self-plagiarism in which authors republish old work in a bid to pad their résumés. Here, though, the duplicate paper added two new authors, Sherri Ann Charleston and Jerlando Jackson, who had no involvement in the original, letting them claim credit for the research and making them party to the con.

"Sherri Charleston appears to have used somebody else's research without proper attribution," said Steve McGuire, a former political theory professor at Villanova University, who reviewed both the 2012 and 2014 papers.

One-fifth of the 2014 paper, including two-thirds of its "findings" section, was published in the 2012 study, according to the complaint, and three interview responses are identical in both articles, suggesting they come from the same survey.

According to Lee Jussim, a social psychologist at Rutgers University, "it is essentially impossible for two different people in two different studies to produce the same quote." At best, he said, the authors got their wires crossed and mixed up interviews from two separate surveys, both of which just happened to involve 37 participants with the exact same demographic profile. At worst, the authors committed data fraud by framing old survey responses as new ones—a separate and more serious offense.

The Journal of Negro Education did not respond to a request for comment. Sherri Ann Charleston, LaVar Charleston, and Jerlando Jackson did not respond to requests for comment.

Monday's complaint, which was filed anonymously, comes as Harvard is facing questions about the integrity of its research affiliates and the ideology of its diversity bureaucrats, most of whom report to the sprawling office that Sherri Ann Charleston oversees.

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of Harvard Medical School's three teaching hospitals, announced in January that it would retract six papers and correct dozens more after some of its top executives were accused of data manipulation. That news came on the heels of a viral essay in which Carole Hooven, a Harvard biologist, described how she had been hounded out of a teaching role by her department's diversity committee after she said in an interview that there are only two sexes.

The school is also facing an ongoing congressional probe over its handling of anti-Semitism and its response to the plagiarism allegations against Gay, which Harvard initially sought to suppress with legal saber-rattling. Half of Gay's published work contained plagiarized material, ranging from single sentences to entire paragraphs, with some of the most severe lifts coming in her dissertation. Though Gay stepped down as president on January 2, she remains a tenured faculty member drawing a $900,000 annual salary.

Some of Charleston's offenses are similar to Gay's. In her 2009 dissertation, for example, Charleston borrows a sentence from Eric Arnesen's 1991 book Waterfront Workers of New Orleans: Race, Class, and Politics, 1863-1923, without quotation marks and without citing Arnesen's work in a footnote.

She also lifts full paragraphs from her thesis adviser, Rebecca Scott, while making minimal semantic tweaks.

"There's simply not enough difference to consider them original words," said Jonathan Bailey, the founder of the website Plagiarism Today. "Though the sources in those examples are cited"—Charleston includes a footnote to Scott at the end of each passage—"the text either needed to be quoted or properly paraphrased."

Bailey added that the plagiarism of Scott alone merited an investigation—ideally, he said, "by a neutral party with no ties to either the school or the school's critics."

Harvard did not respond to a request for comment. Scott and Arnesen did not respond to requests for comment.

Charleston also lifted language from Louis Pérez, an historian at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; Alejandro de la Fuente, an historian at Harvard; and Ada Ferrer, an historian at New York University, among other scholars.

Charleston cites each source in a footnote but omits quotation marks around language copied verbatim. The omissions violate Harvard's Guide to Using Sources, a document produced for incoming students, which states that quotation marks are required when "you copy language word for word."

Pérez, de la Fuente, and Ferrer did not respond to requests for comment.

The range of examples presented in the complaint, which was also filed to the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, highlights how plagiarism can shade into more severe forms of misconduct when it involves interviews or other data.

In fact, some experts said the term "plagiarism" didn't quite capture the dishonesty of duplicate publication, which is sometimes categorized as a separate offense and accounts for 14 percent of all paper retractions in the life sciences.

"You cannot just republish an old paper as if it is a new paper," Jussim, the Rutgers psychologist, said. "If you do, that is not exactly plagiarism; it's more like fraud."

Wood said the case was really a combination of the two offenses. "Because the second paper, on which Sherri Ann Charleston is one of the three co-authors, recycles so much of the text of the original paper by LaVar J. Charleston, this does have the earmarks of plagiarism, but the plagiarism is compounded by an even larger effort to deceive," he said. "The universities and journals need to investigate."

While scholars can reuse data across multiple papers, they must make clear when they are doing so and provide appropriate attribution to earlier studies, per guidelines from the Office of Research Integrity and the editorial policies of top academic journals, including Nature and Cell.

But the 2014 paper never indicates that it is reusing research from 2012. Instead, it claims to present new data that fill a "gap" in the literature and "corroborate" the 2012 study, among others, and on two occasions refers to survey subjects as "participants in this study."

Those participants appear to be the same people whom LaVar Charleston interviewed in 2012. Both surveys involved the same number of undergraduates, graduate students, Ph.D.s, and students at historically black colleges—all drawn from the same computer science conference—a similarity that experts said was a red flag.

"It is curious that the proportions are identical," said Debora Weber-Wulff, a German computer scientist who researches plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct. "This would be grounds for the universities in question to request the data and investigate."

Jussim agreed. "This seems sufficiently improbable that, absent something saying they are re-reporting an already-published study, it would be fraud," he said.

LaVar Charleston did not respond to a request for comment about whether the two studies used the same interviews. The University of Michigan said it was "committed to fostering and upholding the highest ethical standards in research and scholarship," but declined to comment on the complaint. The University of Wisconsin-Madison told the Free Beacon it had "initiated an assessment in response to the allegations."

The main difference between the papers is a long section in the 2014 article about "culturally responsive pedagogy theory," which the authors say their findings support. Both articles are littered with the tropes of progressive scholarship, including a disclaimer about "positionality"—the authors assure readers that they reflected on their own "racial, gender, and socioeconomic status"—and a lament that computer science is a "White male-dominated field."

Both also criticize the idea that "computing sciences is for nerds, only for White people, [and] only for geniuses."

Such language is typical of the diversity initiatives Charleston oversees. Since 2020, her office has pumped out a stream of materials that bemoan the "weaponization of whiteness," discuss the ins and outs of "white fragility," and urge students to "call out" their peers for "harmful words." One message, signed by Charleston herself, was titled "A Call to Dismantle Intersecting Oppressions."

"We must continue to work against systematic oppression in all its forms—racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and more," she wrote.

Her office also curates resources for students seeking to become fluent in progressive patois, including a "glossary of diversity, inclusion and belonging (DIB) terms" that provides examples of "gaslighting."

Tactics can include "shooting down the target's ideas," the entry reads—or "taking credit for them."

==

Here we go again...

If you haven't already figured it out, the DEI-related faux-"disciplines" - the "Studies": Ethnic Studies, Women's Studies, Gender Studies, Postcolonial Studies, Media Studies, etc - are the most corrupt, the most ideological with the absolute lowest academic standards of all. All they care about is echoing back the "correct" opinions, not valid scholarship.

And yet, somehow these lunatics and fanatics end up the most powerful people in the asylum.

Harvard needs to fumigate the house, top to bottom.

[michaelgogins]

The Causal Potency of Consciousness

The other day I read The causal potency of consciousness in the physical world on the arXiv, by Danko Georgiev.

I know little about this author, other than that he has several other preprints on the arXiv on this and related subjects. His affiliation is listed as the Institute for Advanced Study in Varna, but on the Web site of that organization, he appears as the only author, so that appears to be a shell for him. Some of the papers listed there do have other authors in addition to Georgiev.

Georgiev also is the author of the textbook Quantum Information and Consciousness, published by CRC Press and available from Routledge.

And Georgiev is the chief editor of the online, open access journal Quanta (not to be confused with the online magazine Quanta!). Some of the authors published in the open access journal Quanta appear in other peer-reviewed journals of academic science (e.g. Stan Gudder).

Whatever. Georgiev is not a professor, nor is he an institutional researcher, and he appears to be near the fringe.

But he is not on the fringe, or beyond it.

Georgiev's paper presents ideas that I myself had a year or so ago, when I was regularly answering questions on Quora and used that as an excuse to do some amateur philosophizing. And these thoughts of mine go way back to my twenties, when I was trying to relate Chaitin's ideas about Kolmogorov complexity to self-consciousness.

The paper is written in a clear and accessible style and makes several arguments:

Consciousness must provide a selective advantage to conscious animals, including human beings. I had also made this argument, but I am not 100% sure the argument does not beg the question. After all, it might be objected that something physical both causes consciousness and provides a selective advantage.

Consciousness, as a quantum process, observes itself and this is a quantum measurement. I had also made this argument, but again, I am not 100% sure that the argument does not beg the question.

Consciousness has no causal potency from the standpoint of classical physics. I agree.

The quantum state of an organism is capable of indeterminate behavior, which in conscious organisms can be identified with free will, which is required for any satisfying theory of moral responsibility. I also had made this argument, and I went a bit further and pointed out that a free choice must appear random from the standpoint of classical physics, yet is rationally motivated from the standpoint of consciousness. In my view, this overcomes the objection that random behavior cannot be free.

I also have made the argument that human self-consciousness involves a fixed point that is not possible in classical physics, and may not be possible even in quantum physics.

And I have argued that quantum indeterminacy means the phenomenal world is not computable.

I am still not happy with the clarity and completeness of my arguments, and I am still working on them. But I do not doubt that they are all wound up with the points above.

Yet it is very nice to see that these ideas are circulating and may receive the attention and further research I think they deserve.

[wellsbering]

also:

www.jstor.org - tons of articles from academic journals as well as images, books, and primary sources

arxiv.org - academic articles (important disclaimer though, they're NOT always peer-reviewed - researchers will often upload papers here while waiting on review) in the fields of physics, mathematics, astronomy, computer science, statistics, quantitative biology, electrical engineering, systems science, and economics

Skip Google for Research

As Google has worked to overtake the internet, its search algorithm has not just gotten worse.  It has been designed to prioritize advertisers and popular pages often times excluding pages and content that better matches your search terms 

As a writer in need of information for my stories, I find this unacceptable.  As a proponent of availability of information so the populace can actually educate itself, it is unforgivable.

Below is a concise list of useful research sites compiled by Edward Clark over on Facebook. I was familiar with some, but not all of these.

⁂

Google is so powerful that it “hides” other search systems from us. We just don’t know the existence of most of them. Meanwhile, there are still a huge number of excellent searchers in the world who specialize in books, science, other smart information. Keep a list of sites you never heard of.

www.refseek.com - Academic Resource Search. More than a billion sources: encyclopedia, monographies, magazines.

www.worldcat.org - a search for the contents of 20 thousand worldwide libraries. Find out where lies the nearest rare book you need.

https://link.springer.com - access to more than 10 million scientific documents: books, articles, research protocols.

www.bioline.org.br is a library of scientific bioscience journals published in developing countries.

http://repec.org - volunteers from 102 countries have collected almost 4 million publications on economics and related science.

www.science.gov is an American state search engine on 2200+ scientific sites. More than 200 million articles are indexed.

www.pdfdrive.com is the largest website for free download of books in PDF format. Claiming over 225 million names.

www.base-search.net is one of the most powerful researches on academic studies texts. More than 100 million scientific documents, 70% of them are free

[irrespub]

Exploring Innovation and Discovery Through the Lens of Life Sciences

In today’s rapidly advancing world, the role of biological sciences has become more central than ever. As researchers delve deeper into understanding the mechanisms of life, from molecular interactions to ecosystem dynamics, the academic journal of life sciences has emerged as an essential platform for sharing groundbreaking research and fostering collaboration among scientists across disciplines. These journals not only document scientific progress but also inspire further inquiry by highlighting discoveries that have the potential to transform industries, improve healthcare, and enhance our understanding of the natural world.

Biological sciences serve as the foundation for understanding the complexities of life. From genetics and microbiology to ecology and physiology, this diverse field touches every aspect of our lives. The academic journal of life sciences plays a critical role in disseminating peer-reviewed knowledge, ensuring that new insights are accessible to scholars, educators, and professionals worldwide. Through a rigorous review process, these journals maintain scientific integrity while pushing the boundaries of what we know about living organisms and their environments.

One of the primary objectives of publishing in reputable life sciences journals is to contribute to the global scientific community. Each article published becomes a part of a larger dialogue, allowing others to build upon previous findings and explore new hypotheses. Whether it’s a study on the genome editing potential of CRISPR technology or the impact of climate change on biodiversity, the data shared through these publications can spark significant innovations. Researchers rely on the transparency and accessibility of such platforms to validate results, draw comparisons, and propose future directions for investigation.

The evolving nature of biological sciences has also led to a greater emphasis on interdisciplinary research. By integrating principles from chemistry, physics, and computational sciences, researchers can tackle complex biological problems from multiple angles. This interdisciplinary approach has led to the emergence of new subfields, such as systems biology and bioinformatics, which depend heavily on the publication and exchange of data through academic journals. The academic journal of life sciences is instrumental in supporting this integration, acting as a hub for studies that might not fit into traditional disciplinary boundaries but offer valuable insights nonetheless.

As the scientific community grows more global, the need for accessible, credible, and timely information becomes increasingly important. Journals dedicated to biological sciences play a pivotal role in ensuring that research is not confined to geographical borders or linguistic barriers. With the growth of open access models and digital publishing, these journals reach a broader audience, including educators, policymakers, and industry leaders, who can apply the findings in real-world contexts. This democratization of knowledge supports innovation across sectors, from agriculture and biotechnology to environmental conservation and medicine.

Moreover, academic publishing provides recognition and credibility to researchers. Being featured in a well-respected journal is a mark of quality and contributes to a scientist’s reputation within their field. The process of peer review, revision, and editorial feedback also helps authors refine their arguments and methodologies, ultimately strengthening the research. Through this cycle of publication and response, science becomes a collaborative endeavor, driven by curiosity, evidence, and a shared commitment to discovery.

The platform irrespub.com exemplifies the importance of bridging academic excellence with accessibility. By supporting a wide range of publications within the life sciences, it enables scholars from diverse backgrounds to contribute to and benefit from the latest research. The commitment to publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed content ensures that readers can trust the validity and relevance of the work shared.

In an era defined by rapid scientific advancement and increasing global challenges, the contributions of biological sciences are indispensable. Whether addressing public health crises, enhancing food security, or conserving biodiversity, the knowledge generated through research and shared via academic journals is critical to shaping our future. As we continue to explore the intricacies of life on Earth, journals like those featured on irrespub.com will remain central to the journey of discovery, collaboration, and progress.

[hostajournal1212]

Biosciences Insight – A Peer-Reviewed Journal for Cutting-Edge Research in Life Sciences

Biosciences Insight invites submissions of original research articles, reviews, and short communications that contribute to the advancement of biological and biomedical sciences. We welcome contributions from researchers, scholars, and practitioners across the globe.

Aims and Scope:

Biosciences Insight is dedicated to publishing high-quality, impactful research in the following (but not limited to) areas:

Molecular and Cellular Biology

Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering

Microbiology and Immunology

Environmental and Agricultural Biosciences

Pharmacology and Toxicology

Neuroscience and Cognitive Biology

Systems Biology, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology

Clinical and Translational Biosciences

Why Publish with Biosciences Insight?

Rapid and rigorous peer review

Open-access publishing for global reach

Indexed in leading scientific databases

Experienced editorial board from top institutions

High visibility and citation potential Submit Your Manuscript: Via the online submission system at: [https://biosciinsights.com/index.php/BI/about/submissions]

[dekhocampus11]

KR Mangalam University, Gurgaon

KR Mangalam University, Gurgaon—A Comprehensive Profile

KR Mangalam University (KRMU), established in 2013 under the Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Act, is one of the emerging centers of higher education in North India. Situated in Sohna, Gurgaon, Haryana, the university is recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and has rapidly earned a reputation for academic excellence, modern infrastructure, international collaboration, and industry-linked programs. Its core vision is to provide a transformative educational experience that fosters creativity, critical thinking, research, and social responsibility.

Location and Campus

KRMU’s campus is spread across a serene 26-acre area in Gurgaon’s growing educational and industrial zone. The university’s location offers a strategic advantage, being part of the National Capital Region (NCR), which is a hub for corporate, industrial, and academic activity. The campus combines natural beauty with state-of-the-art infrastructure, making it conducive to focused academic pursuit and holistic student development.

Modern amenities on campus include Wi-Fi-enabled classrooms, advanced laboratories, computing centers, auditoriums, seminar halls, and recreational facilities. The architecture and design of the campus are student-centric, promoting ease of access, interaction, and collaborative learning.

Academic Structure

KR Mangalam University is a multidisciplinary institution offering over 60 undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs through its various schools. The university comprises:

School of Engineering & Technology

School of Legal Studies

School of Basic & Applied Sciences

School of Education

School of Agricultural Sciences

School of Architecture & Design

School of Hotel Management & Catering Technology

School of Management & Commerce

School of Medical & Allied Sciences

School of Journalism & Mass Communication

School of Liberal Arts

School of Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Sciences

Each of these schools has a specialized curriculum developed in consultation with industry experts and academic thought leaders. Emphasis is placed on project-based learning, internships, live case studies, workshops, and simulations to provide a real-world understanding of subjects.

Curriculum and Pedagogy

The teaching methodology at KRMU is built on the foundation of experiential learning. The faculty adopt a hybrid model of traditional and technology-driven instruction to suit modern learning styles. The university uses Learning Management Systems (LMS) for blended learning, offering students access to digital content, recorded lectures, quizzes, and assignments.

All programs align their courses with the current industry demands. Students are trained not only in theoretical frameworks but also through hands-on experience using labs, research work, and fieldwork. From moot court practices in the Law School to design studios for architecture students and high-end kitchen labs for hospitality training, the university emphasizes skill development.

The university also integrates value-added courses and certifications into its academic programs. These include modules on digital literacy, soft skills, personality development, entrepreneurship, ethics, and leadership. These supplementary skills help students stand out in competitive job markets and enhance their overall employability.

Faculty and Research

KRMU boasts a strong team of over 500 faculty members from diverse academic and professional backgrounds. The faculty includes PhD holders, researchers, visiting professors from reputed national and international institutions, and industry professionals who contribute both teaching and practical perspectives.

Research is a critical pillar of KRMU’s mission. The university encourages faculty and students to engage in interdisciplinary research, publish in peer-reviewed journals, and present at national and international conferences. Research initiatives at KRMU are supported through grants, labs, and institutional collaborations.

The university has also established several research centers and cells focusing on fields like artificial intelligence, sustainable agriculture, legal reforms, biomedical sciences, and emerging technologies. Regular workshops, FDPs (Faculty Development Programs), and research conclaves keep the faculty updated with global academic trends.

Industry Linkages and Placements

KRMU maintains robust industry collaborations to ensure students are job-ready. The Training and Placement Cell (TPC) is a vital interface between academia and industry. It organizes pre-placement training sessions, mock interviews, aptitude tests, and resume-building workshops to prepare students for the recruitment process.

In the 2024 placement drive, KRMU attracted over 700 recruiters, offering more than 1,000 job opportunities across sectors. The highest package offered was INR 56.6 LPA, while the average salary package was INR 7.25 LPA. Some of the top recruiters included Cognizant, Deloitte, Wipro, TCS, HDFC Bank, Decathlon, and several startups.

The university also supports students with industry internships, live projects, summer training, and collaborative assignments with business partners. These interactions help students gain exposure to real business challenges and build professional networks.

Global Collaborations

Recognizing the need for global academic exposure, KR Mangalam University has built partnerships with numerous international universities and institutions. These partnerships facilitate student and faculty exchanges, dual degree programs, summer schools, joint research projects, and academic collaboration.

Some of the fields where KRMU has built international alliances include engineering, management, law, liberal arts, and hospitality. Through study abroad programs and global immersion trips, students develop a cross-cultural understanding and become more adaptable to global workplaces.

International exposure is further enhanced through guest lectures by foreign faculty, global certification programs, and webinars with thought leaders from different parts of the world.

Student Life and Campus Culture

Life at KR Mangalam University goes far beyond academics. The university encourages a well-rounded student experience through clubs, societies, and annual events. Students participate in cultural fests, sports meets, hackathons, debates, drama, literary events, and inter-college competitions.

Popular events on campus include cultural fest "Kritansh", sports tournament "Athlos", literary fests, TEDx talks, and social service campaigns. These initiatives foster creativity, leadership, time management, and teamwork among students.

KRMU supports more than 30 student-led clubs across domains such as music, photography, innovation, dance, environment, literature, coding, and entrepreneurship. These clubs are actively involved in planning and organizing campus events, giving students practical exposure to planning, execution, and management.

Sports and fitness are also a focus area at the university. Facilities are available for cricket, basketball, football, badminton, volleyball, and indoor games. A well-equipped gymnasium and yoga center help students maintain their physical well-being.

Infrastructure and Facilities

The university campus is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to support academic and extracurricular activities. The key infrastructure includes the following:

Amphitheater-style classrooms with AV aids

Central and departmental libraries with thousands of physical and digital resources

High-speed internet and Wi-Fi across campus

Computer labs with advanced software and networking

Science and engineering labs with modern instruments

Moot courtrooms and legal aid clinics for law students

Hotel management kitchen labs, mock restaurants, and bakery setups

Medical labs, physiotherapy centers, and clinical equipment

Hostel accommodation for boys and girls with 24x7 security

Cafeterias, food courts, and mess facilities offering nutritious meals

The residential facilities provide students with a home-like environment. Fully furnished rooms, common areas, recreation zones, and round-the-clock security ensure comfort and safety.

Community Engagement and Social Responsibility

KR Mangalam University instills a strong sense of social responsibility in its students. It promotes active participation in community service through programs like NSS (National Service Scheme), cleanliness drives, blood donation camps, tree plantation initiatives, and rural education outreach.

Students are encouraged to work on projects that create a positive impact on society. Environmental sustainability, social inclusion, gender equality, and health awareness are some of the themes around which student-led initiatives are organized.

The university also practices eco-friendly operations through waste segregation, rainwater harvesting, solar power use, and a plastic-free campus policy.

Vision for the Future

KR Mangalam University aspires to become a leading center of education and innovation in India. Its future roadmap includes the expansion of research capabilities, deeper international partnerships, adoption of cutting-edge technologies in education, and the introduction of new-age courses in data science, robotics, biotechnology, cyber law, and healthcare management.

By focusing on academic quality, global orientation, industry alignment, and social contribution, the university is building a progressive ecosystem that empowers students to become leaders of tomorrow.

Conclusion

KR Mangalam University stands as a modern, future-focused educational institution dedicated to developing well-rounded individuals equipped with knowledge, skills, values, and a global outlook. With its strong academic foundation, state-of-the-art infrastructure, industry relevance, and commitment to innovation, KRMU offers students a world-class educational journey in the heart of India’s corporate capital.

[briancalfano]

From Page to Progress: The Real-World Impact of Academic Journals

Academic journals are often considered highly specialized publications for scholars and researchers. With their technical language and complex theories, they can seem far removed from the average person’s daily life. However, these journals play a far more active role in shaping the world around us than most people realize. They are not just platforms for intellectual debate but engines that power innovation, inform decision-making, and influence everything from healthcare and technology to public policy and education. What begins as a theory on paper can eventually become a tool, a law, a solution, or a lifestyle improvement.

Laying the Groundwork for Scientific Progress

At the heart of every scientific breakthrough lies a long history of academic inquiry. Academic journals provide a formal space for testing, reviewing, and sharing new ideas. While rigorous and time-consuming, the peer-review process ensures that published studies meet high standards of credibility and reliability. Scientists, doctors, engineers, and other professionals rely on this body of verified research to guide their work, laying the foundation for meaningful progress in their respective fields.

In medicine, for example, published clinical trials and research findings often lead to developing new drugs, treatment plans, and preventive care strategies. These aren’t just abstract ideas; they translate into real-world outcomes such as vaccines, surgical techniques, and improved recovery processes. While the language of medical journals may be complex for a layperson to understand, the research implications affect nearly everyone.

Fueling Technological Development

Technology is another area where academic journals have a profound impact. Innovations in artificial intelligence, computer science, engineering, and data analytics often begin as theoretical models described in academic papers. Researchers publish their findings, which are then studied, adapted, and built upon by other experts in the field. Over time, these ideas transform into practical tools and devices that shape our daily experiences.

From the smartphones in our pockets to the renewable energy sources powering our homes, many modern conveniences can trace their roots back to academic studies. Developers and companies often rely on published research to design software algorithms, improve hardware functionality, or explore emerging technologies. The transition from educational theory to consumer technology may take years, but it is a direct path fueled by rigorous academic work.

Influencing Government and Policy Decisions

Academic research also plays a significant role in developing laws, regulations, and public programs. Government agencies often consult academic journals to understand complex issues and develop evidence-based policies. Scholars frequently study topics such as climate change, public health, economic inequality, and education reform and publish their findings in peer-reviewed journals.

These insights help shape national and local legislation and inform the work of international organizations and NGOs. For instance, during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, academic research was instrumental in guiding public health strategies, vaccine distribution plans, and safety protocols. Policymakers relied on this research to make decisions directly affecting millions of lives. While the public may not read the original studies, their influence is felt in the policies and guidelines that emerge from them.

Transforming Business and Industry Practices

Businesses increasingly use academic research to gain a competitive edge, especially in marketing, economics, and organizational psychology. Studies published in business journals provide insights into consumer behavior, employee motivation, leadership styles, and market trends. These findings help companies make data-driven decisions that improve performance and customer satisfaction.

For example, companies interested in sustainability may consult environmental research to design eco-friendly products or reduce their carbon footprint. Human resources departments might rely on psychology journals to improve workplace culture and employee well-being. Even startups and entrepreneurs benefit from academic research by identifying market opportunities or solving operational challenges. This intersection of academia and industry shows how theory and practice can work hand-in-hand to generate success and innovation.

Empowering Educators and Learners

Academic journals offer valuable guidance for teachers, administrators, and curriculum developers in the field of education. Studies on learning methods, classroom environments, and student psychology help improve teaching strategies and educational outcomes. As new research emerges, schools and universities adapt their approaches to better meet students' needs.

Educators use this research to address challenges such as literacy gaps, learning disabilities, and student engagement. By applying findings from academic journals, they can design more effective lesson plans, adopt new teaching tools, and create inclusive learning environments. Students, in turn, benefit from a more enriched and supportive educational experience that prepares them for success beyond the classroom.

Reaching Beyond Academia Through Open Access

One reason academic journals are having a broader impact today is the growth of open-access publishing. Traditionally, many journals were only available through subscriptions or university libraries, limiting their reach to scholars and researchers. However, the rise of open-access journals has made it easier for the general public, independent researchers, and professionals in various industries to access valuable academic content.

This shift has democratized information and allowed for greater public engagement with research. Now, a small business owner can read a marketing study, a nonprofit leader can review social science research, or a patient can explore findings about their health condition. As access to scholarly work expands, more people are empowered to use research in practical and innovative ways.

Overcoming the Communication Barrier

Despite these advancements, academic journals still face the challenge of making their content accessible to non-specialists. The highly technical language used in many studies can be a barrier for readers outside the academic community. This communication gap often means that essential findings are overlooked or misunderstood by those who could benefit from them.

Efforts are being made to bridge this gap. Science communicators, educators, and even researchers are working to simplify complex ideas and share them through articles, podcasts, videos, and public lectures. Some journals now include plain-language summaries alongside academic articles, making the information easier to digest. By improving how research is communicated, the academic world can better connect with the broader public.

The Hidden Force Behind Everyday Life

While academic journals may not always be visible in our day-to-day routines, their influence is deeply embedded in the structures that shape our world. From the technology we use to the laws that govern us, from the medicine we receive to how our children learn, academic research is the silent engine driving progress. The journey from theory to practice is not always fast or easy, but it is essential.

As more people gain access to academic work and researchers strive to communicate more effectively, the gap between the ivory tower and the real world continues to narrow. In doing so, we unlock the full potential of knowledge—not just to understand the world but to improve it.

[contemplatingoutlander]

01/07/24, 3:43 PM EST: At this time of day, I saw "the dress" as a white and gold dress that appeared to be in the "shade," (which to me gave the "white" part of the dress a "light bluish" tinge).

UPDATE 01/07/24, 4:50 PM EST: I had originally reblogged this post in the late afternoon. It is interesting that when I revisited this post later to add to it, it was in the early evening, so my blinds were closed and no more sunlight was coming in my window behind me to shine on my computer screen. Consequently, at first glance, the dress looked darker, with it almost being a very light blue (especially the photo on the Wikipedia link above), and a dark gold or mustard color. 🤔

For more information on what the colors of "the dress" actually are and why some people see the dress as "blue and black" and others as "white and gold," (and a few as "blue and brown" or "other), see below the cut.

Yes, the actual dress is blue and black, which I can clearly see in the photos below.

Both photos above are from BuzzFeed. Above left is a photo of the dress worn to a wedding by the mother of the bride (who started the whole thing when she took the original photo and showed it to the bride and groom before the wedding). Above right is a photo of the dress from the company it came from: Roman Originals.

Roman Originals (now just Roman) also has an image on its #THE DRESS That Broke the Internet website that fades from the blue & black to the white & gold dress, represented below by this (edited) gif:

Fun facts from the Roman's #THE DRESS website:

"The dress" is a viral meme that launched to stardom on 26th February 2015, when the world disagreed over whether the item of clothing below was black and blue or white and gold. The phenomenon revealed differences in human colour perception which have been the subject of ongoing scientific investigation in neuroscience and vision science, with a number of papers published in peer-reviewed science journals. In popular discourse, the disagreement over the colours was sometimes referred to as "dressgate". But to us it will always be our Dress that broke the internet. After 7.6 Million tweets it's time to seperate the fact from fiction

* 3,622,960 visitors to our website in 48 hours * 2,214,343 uses of #thedress * covered on over 150 networks including BBC Worldwide, Sky, CNN, Fox, ABC, CBS, Globo TV, NTN24, Nippon TV and more... * 70% of people asked actually saw white and gold instead of blue and black * 73 million views of #thedress across all social media channels * 34 minutes was the amount of time it took for our website to sell out of #thedress We even made a #WhiteandGold version that was auctioned off for Charity

It appears that some of the illusion might have been caused by "the dress" having been photographed with yellow-tinged lighting. According to Wikipedia:

Daniel Hardiman-McCartney of the College of Optometrists stated that the picture was ambiguous, suggesting that the illusion was caused by a strong yellow light shining onto the dress, and human perception of the colours of the dress and light source by comparing them with other colours and objects in the picture.[40] [...] The first large-scale scientific study on the dress was published in Current Biology three months after the image went viral. The study, which involved 1,400 respondents, found that 57 per cent saw the dress as blue and black, 30 per cent saw it as white and gold, 11 per cent saw it as blue and brown, and two per cent reported it as "other".[44] Women and older people disproportionately saw the dress as white and gold. The researchers further found that, if the dress was shown in artificial yellow-coloured lighting, almost all respondents saw the dress as black and blue, while they saw it as white and gold if the simulated lighting had a blue bias.[33][44][45][46] Another study in the Journal of Vision, by Pascal Wallisch, found that people who were early risers were more likely to think the dress was lit by natural light, perceiving it as white and gold, and that "night owls" saw the dress as blue and black.[47][48] A study carried out by Schlaffke et al. reported that individuals who saw the dress as white and gold showed increased activity in the frontal and parietal regions of the brain. These areas are thought to be critical in higher cognition activities such as top-down modulation in visual perception.[49][50] [emphasis added]

The yellow-tinged light hypothesis might account for why the dress seemed to change colors for me slightly from the time I first saw it with sunlight hitting my computer screen through the window behind me, to when I revisited it in the evening, when my blinds were closed.

I'm also an older woman, so I fit in the demographics of those most likely to see the dress as white and gold. However, I'm not a particularly "early riser" (although I do have to get up early for work🤷🏻‍♀️).

Optical illusions are always fascinating.

[edited]

In February 2015, the "The Dress" debate had everyone weighing in on what color it was.

[nmietbbsr]

How Engineering Students Can Build a Strong Portfolio Before Graduation

Building a solid portfolio before graduation can set engineering students apart in the job market. Whether you’re aiming for a top company or considering further studies, a strong portfolio showcases your skills, projects, and experience. Here’s how you can start preparing while still in college.

1. Work on Real Projects

One of the best ways to strengthen your portfolio is by working on real-world projects. These can be individual projects, group assignments, or even personal experiments. Try to document your work with proper descriptions, images, and results. If possible, upload your projects to GitHub or create a personal website to showcase them.

2. Internships and Industry Experience

Internships provide practical exposure and help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications. Many companies offer internship opportunities for engineering students, allowing them to work on live projects. The experience gained during internships can significantly boost your resume and portfolio.

3. Participate in Hackathons and Competitions

Taking part in hackathons, coding challenges, and engineering competitions can add weight to your portfolio. These events not only test your problem-solving skills but also help you work in a team, meet industry experts, and learn from peers.

4. Develop Technical Skills and Certifications

Technical certifications can validate your expertise in a specific field. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer industry-recognized courses in various engineering domains. Earning certifications in programming, data science, cloud computing, or AI can enhance your profile.

5. Publish Research Papers or Technical Blogs

If you have an interest in research, try publishing papers in reputed journals or presenting them at conferences. Writing technical blogs on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn can also showcase your expertise in a subject.

6. Build a Strong LinkedIn Profile

Your LinkedIn profile acts as an online portfolio where recruiters can view your projects, certifications, and professional achievements. Make sure to keep it updated and actively engage with industry professionals.

7. Networking and Industry Engagement

Attend industry events, webinars, and networking sessions to connect with professionals in your field. Being part of engineering forums and associations can also open up opportunities for learning and collaboration.

What is Your Review of NMIET Engineering College?

Choosing the right engineering college is an important decision, and NMIET in Bhubaneswar has established itself as a notable institution.

NM Institute of Engineering and Technology (NMIET) has been offering quality education since 2004. The institution provides undergraduate and postgraduate programs in B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA, MCA, and diploma courses. With experienced faculty and modern infrastructure, NMIET ensures that students receive both theoretical knowledge and practical exposure.

The college maintains strong industry connections, with recruiters like Cognizant, Capgemini, IBM, and BYJU’s hiring its graduates. It is affiliated with Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) and accredited by AICTE, ensuring high academic standards.

Among the best options in the college of engineering Bhubaneswar, NMIET is known for its comprehensive curriculum and hands-on learning approach. Students benefit from digital classrooms, well-equipped labs, a sophisticated library, and sports facilities.

If you're considering a career in engineering, choosing the right institution can make all the difference. A strong portfolio, along with a degree from a reputed college, will help you stand out in the job market.For more details about NMIET and admissions, visit: NMIET Official Website