cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multimodal Spectral Metrics with Discrete Finite Automata for Predicting Epileptic Seizures

This Paper presents a multimodal spectral metrics and Deterministic Finite Automata (DFA) in a manner to enhance the detection of spikes and seizures in epileptiform activity from Electroencephalograms (EEG). To develop robust classification rules for identifying epileptiform activity in the human brain the authors present a new methodology to connect their previous work where successful prediction of epileptiform activity was achieved through the use of DFA. The link between DFA seizure detection operating in the time-domain and frequency domain seizure detection has been a non-trivial task and this paper presents a means to link four power spectra metrics of rat EEG experiencing epilepsy seizures and previous work by the authors where the same rats experience seizures that the authors DFA algorithm identified the seizures. We propose a system that links 1) four power spectra metrics capable of detecting seizure activity with 2) Deterministic Finite Automata (DFA). It is a common goal for those skilled in the art of epilepsy prediction to create classifiers that are used to make rules and isolate characteristic events leading to an epileptic seizure. Herein, we present a means to link time and frequency domains using various spectral metrics and DFA to identify the electrographic onset of a seizure.
Infrared Spectroscopy of Molecular Supernova Remnants

We present Infrared Space Observatory spectroscopy of sites in the supernova remnants W28, W44, and 3C 391, where blast waves are impacting molecular clouds. The complete wavelength range from 42 to 188 μm was observed with the Long Wavelength Spectrometer, as well as narrow ranges centered on 4.695, 9.665, 25.98, and 34.82 μm with the Short Wavelength Spectrometer. Atomic fine-structure lines were detected from (in order of atomic number): C+, N+, N++, O0, O++, O+++, Si+, P+, and Fe+. The two lines of H2 that we observed, S(3) and S(9), were detected for all three remnants. The observations require both shocks into gas with moderate (~102 cm-3) and high (~104 cm-3) preshock densities, with the moderate-density shocks producing the ionic lines and the high-density shock producing the molecular lines. No single shock model can account for all of the observed lines, even at the order of magnitude level. We find that the principal coolants of radiative supernova shocks in moderate-density gas are the far-infrared continuum from dust grains surviving the shock, followed by collisionally excited [O I] 63.2 μm and [Si II] 34.8 μm lines. The principal coolant of the high-density shocks is collisionally excited H2 rotational and ro-vibrational line emission. We systematically examine the ground-state fine structure of all cosmically abundant elements to explain the presence or lack of all atomic fine lines in our spectra in terms of the atomic structure, interstellar abundances, and a moderate-density, partially ionized plasma. The [P II] line at 60.6 μm is the first known astronomical detection, but its brightness can be explained using the solar abundance of P. There is only one, bright unidentified line in our spectra, at 74.26 μm; as there is no plausible atomic fine-structure line at this wavelength, we suggest this line is molecular. The presence of bright [Si II] and [Fe II] lines requires partial destruction of the dust. The required gas-phase abundance of Fe suggests 15%-30% of the Fe-bearing grains were destroyed. Adding the Si and Fe gas mass, and correcting for the mass of other elements normally found in dust, we find ~0.5 M☉ of dust vapors from the shocked clump 3C 391 : BML. The infrared continuum brightness requires ~1 M☉ of dust survives the shock, suggesting about 1/3 of the dust mass was destroyed, in agreement with the depletion estimate and with theoretical models for dust destruction.
InGaAs/InAs heterojunction vertical nanowire tunnel fets fabricated by a top-down approach

We demonstrate for the first time InGaAs/InAs heterojunction single nanowire (NW) vertical tunnel FETs fabricated by a top-down approach. Using a novel III–V dry etch process and gate-source isolation method, we have fabricated 50 nm diameter NW TFETs with a channel length of 60 nm and EOT=1.2 nm. Thanks to the insertion of an InAs notch, high source doping, high-aspect ratio nanowire geometry and scaled gate oxide, an average subthreshold swing (S) of 79 mV/dec at V ds = 0.3 V is obtained over 2 decades of current. On the same device, I on = 0.27 µA/µm is extracted at V dd = 0.3 V with a fixed I off = 100 pA/µm. This is the highest ON current demonstrated at this OFF current level in NW TFETs containing III–V materials.
Interdependency, Competition, and Industry Dynamics

Asystematic understanding of industry dynamics is critical to strategy research because individual firm performance dynamics both reflect and affect change at the industry level. Descriptive research on industry dynamics has identified a dominant pattern where prices fall, output rises, and the number of firms rises and then falls over time. Several models have been advanced to explain these patterns, with a particular focus on explaining why a shakeout in the number of firms occurs. In the most prominent models, shakeout is generated by rising realized heterogeneity among firms that either is assumed to be unrecognized but determined ex ante or is generated by stochastic innovation outcomes coupled with convex adjustment costs and scale advantages in innovation and learning. In this paper, we develop an alternative model where heterogeneity develops among firms over time (leading to a shakeout) because firms must make choices about highly interdependent productive activities where the ideal combinations cannot be easily deduced or imitated. By combining two established models (a Cournot model of competition with an NK model of interdependency in production activities), we are able to advance an alternative explanation for the observed patterns of industry behavior, including shakeout. We show that variation in the potential for interdependency in activities among industries is able to explain varying levels of shakeout as well as differing patterns of entry and exit among industries. Notably, the model generates several empirical predictions not apparent in past research and several that directly conflict with the results of prominent alternative models of industry dynamics. Specifically, we show that when the potential for interdependency within an industry is low, entry slows down and incumbent survival is all but assured, whereas in industries where the potential for interdependencies is high, shakeouts are severe and the rates of entry and exit remain high over longer time periods, with decreasing survival rates for incumbents.
Potassium Boc-Protected Secondary Aminomethyltrifluoroborates: Synthesis and Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reactions

Seven potassium Boc-protected secondary aminomethyltrifluoroborates were prepared in a standardized two-step process. The Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction was studied with this new class of nucleophiles, and a large variety of aryl and hetaryl chlorides provided the desired products in good to excellent yields, thereby allowing easy access to secondary aminomethyl substructures.
Assessment of variations in thermal cycle life data of thermal barrier coated rods

An analysis of thermal cycle life data for 22 thermal barrier coated (TBC) specimens was conducted. The Zr02-8Y203/NiCrAlY plasma spray coated Rene 41 rods were tested in a Mach 0.3 Jet A/air burner flame. All specimens were subjected to the same coating and subsequent test procedures in an effort to control three parametric groups; material properties, geometry and heat flux. Statistically, the data sample space had a mean of 1330 cycles with a standard deviation of 520 cycles. The data were described by normal or log-normal distributions, but other models could also apply; the sample size must be increased to clearly delineate a statistical failure model. The statistical methods were also applied to adhesive/cohesive strength data for 20 TBC discs of the same composition, with similar results. The sample space had a mean of 9 MPa with a standard deviation of 4.2 MPa.
A tidal explanation for the Titan haze layers

Abstract Though Titan is in synchronous rotation around Saturn, it experiences gravitational tides as a consequence of its eccentric orbit. It is proposed that the vertical transport of aerosols by these tides produces the haze layers in Titan's upper atmosphere. Analysis shows that the zonal winds in Titan's superrotating atmosphere have a profound influence on which tidal components are effective in establishing the multiple detached-haze layers. If the Huygens Doppler winds are representative of the equatorial global superrotation, then the westward propagating s = 2 mode is the responsible tidal component even though its forcing is significantly weaker than that of the s = 0 and eastward s = 2 components. The eastward s = 2 tidal mode is eliminated by critical levels while the s = 0 mode is viscously damped in the strong high altitude winds. At polar latitudes, however, the gravest s = 0 mode is the one most likely to produce layering. It is also suggested that the atmospheric gravitational tides could be responsible for decelerating the superrotating atmosphere as seen in the Huygens Doppler wind velocity profile at about 80 km altitude.
Titanium fluoride complexes as catalysts for the enantioselective addition of Me3Al to aldehydes

Abstract We report a Ti(IV) catalyst prepared in situ from TiF 4 for the asymmetric addition of trimethylaluminum to aldehydes. The process we detail herein does not necessitate the use of excess trimethylaluminum or Ti(IV) reagent. Good enantioselectivities are achieved with a variety of aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes with the products isolated in high yield.
Formation and instability of an α-acetoxyborane

Abstract The initial product from carbonylation of lithium triethylborohydride reacts with acetyl chloride, forming an α-acetoxyborane. This is unstable and rearranges slowly at room temperature or rapidly on heating, resulting in migration of a second ethyl group from boron to carbon. Subsequent oxidation affords 3-pentanol.
Photosynthesis as a resource for energy and materials

The natural photosynthetic quantum-capturing mechanism of some plants may provide a design for a synthetic system that will serve as a renewable resource for material and fuel. (WDM)
Ion-quadrupole effects in ion-molecule collisions.

Ion trajectory and capture cross sections in quadrupole field for determining ion quadrupole effects in ion-molecule collisions
Players' information in extensive games

Abstract This paper suggests a way of formalizing the amount of information that can be conveyed to each player along every possible play of an extensive game. The information given to each player i when the play of the game reaches node x is expressed as a subset of the set of terminal nodes. Two definitions are put forward, one expressing the minimum amount of information and the other the maximum amount of information that can be conveyed without violating the constraint represented by the information sets. Our definitions provide intuitive characterizations of such notions as perfect recall, perfect information and simultaneity.
SELECT—a formal system for testing and debugging programs by symbolic execution

SELECT is an experimental system for assisting in the formal systematic debugging of programs. It is intended to be a compromise between an automated program proving system and the current ad hoc debugging practice, and is similar to a system being developed by King et al. of IBM. SELECT systematically handles the paths of programs written in a LISP subset that includes arrays. For each execution path SELECT returns simplified conditions on input variables that cause the path to be executed, and simplified symbolic values for program variables at the path output. For conditions which form a system of linear equalities and inequalities SELECT will return input variable values that can serve as sample test data. The user can insert constraint conditions, at any point in the program including the output, in the form of symbolically executable assertions. These conditions can induce the system to select test data in user-specified regions. SELECT can also determine if the path is correct with respect to an output assertion. We present four examples demonstrating the various modes of system operation and their effectiveness in finding bugs. In some examples, SELECT was successful in automatically finding useful test data. In others, user interaction was required in the form of output assertions. SELECT appears to be a useful tool for rapidly revealing program errors, but for the future there is a need to expand its expressive and deductive power.
Expansion of the role of web-based social networks related to synthetic mesh/tape complications

To update a prior report on web-based networks and frequently visited forums used by patients affected by synthetic mesh and/or tape (SMT) complications and to present the new developments in this dynamic SMT field following recent FDA notifications. A review of available blogs and forums on SMT complications was conducted using the terms “mesh complications”, “mesh blogs”, and “polypropylene mesh removal” in Internet search engines for the United States and several other countries. Forums from a prior report were analyzed for updates, and new forums with their founders were identified using same search methodology. The number of posts and new fields from 07/2011 to 10/2013 was recorded, and then divided into categories based on broad content (personal stories, supportive replies to complaints, patients recommending physicians, legal stories, newspaper/article stories with reactions, other). Although four social networks became inactive, four expanded and at least five new major ones surfaced. While personal stories and support remained a prominent topic of discussion, other categories increased, such as the number of posts discussing physician referrals and reactions to news stories. Additionally, the number of posts designated to personal stories decreased. Finally, discussion about the topic expanded internationally. Web-based social networks for women suffering from SMT have expanded and the contents have broadened with new domains being introduced. Patient networking remains a dynamic force in the current debate on the future of these procedures.
Single mask, large force, and large displacement electrostatic linear inchworm motors

We have demonstrated a family of large force and large displacement electrostatic linear inchworm motors that operate with moderate to high voltages. The inchworm motor design decouples actuator force from total travel and allows the use of electrostatic gap-closing actuators to achieve large force and large displacement while consuming low power. A typical inchworm motor measures 3 mm /spl times/ 1 mm /spl times/ 50 /spl mu/m and can lift over 130 times its own weight. One motor has achieved a travel of 80 /spl mu/m and a calculated force of 260 /spl mu/N at 33 V. The force density of that motor was 87 /spl mu/N/mm/sup 2/ at 33 V and the energy efficiency was estimated at 8%. Another motor displaced the shuttle at an average velocity of almost 4 mm/s and achieved an estimated power density of 190 W/m/sup 3/. Motors were cycled 23.6 million times for over 13.5 h without stiction. This family of motors is fabricated in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers using a single mask.
Lewis base activation of Lewis acids: catalytic, enantioselective addition of glycolate-derived silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes.

A catalytic system involving silicon tetrachloride and a chiral, Lewis basic bisphosphoramide catalyst is effective for the addition of glycolate-derived silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes. It was found that the sense of diastereoselectivity could be modulated by changing the size of the substituents on the silyl ketene acetals. In general, the trimethylsilyl ketene acetals derived from methyl glycolates with a large protecting group on the α-oxygen provide enantiomerically enriched α,β-dihydroxy esters with high syn-diastereoselectivity, whereas the tert-butyldimethylsilyl ketene acetals derived from bulky esters of α-methoxyacetic acid provide enantiomerically enriched α,β-dihydroxy esters with high anti-diastereoselecitvity.
Measuring the quality of medical care for women who experience sexual assault with data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.

Abstract Study Objective: We provide new descriptive epidemiology on the demography and quality of care of women who experience sexual assault. Two limited aspects of emergency department treatment received by women who have experienced sexual assault are examined: (1) administration of emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy and (2) screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Methods: A nationally representative survey on the basis of 7 years of data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) was analyzed. Estimates of mean numbers of patients treated and characteristics of patients are reported for administration of emergency contraception and compliance with STD guidelines. Results: Analysis shows that the number of rapes per year reported in the NHAMCS data is highly consistent with the number of forcible rapes reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Results show statistically significant differences in patients who receive screening on the basis of age and also suggest that the same difference exists for STD medications received. Accounting for differences in screening and medications by age does not completely explain why a large portion of the patients are neither screened nor receive STD medications. Conclusion: Women are not receiving the full complement of treatment, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Administration of emergency contraception is less frequent in the NHAMCS sample than in hospitals with a sexual assault treatment program that report administration of emergency contraception. It is important to assess care for patients experiencing sexual assault in a nationally representative sample to identify deficiencies in treatment and areas in need of improvement. [Amey AL, Bishai D. Measuring the quality of medical care for women who experience sexual assault with data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Ann Emerg Med. June 2002;39:631-638.]
Bayesian entropy estimation for countable discrete distributions

We consider the problem of estimating Shannon's entropy H from discrete data, in cases where the number of possible symbols is unknown or even countably infinite. The Pitman-Yor process, a generalization of Dirichlet process, provides a tractable prior distribution over the space of countably infinite discrete distributions, and has found major applications in Bayesian non-parametric statistics and machine learning. Here we show that it provides a natural family of priors for Bayesian entropy estimation, due to the fact that moments of the induced posterior distribution over H can be computed analytically. We derive formulas for the posterior mean (Bayes' least squares estimate) and variance under Dirichlet and Pitman-Yor process priors. Moreover, we show that a fixed Dirichlet or Pitman-Yor process prior implies a narrow prior distribution over H, meaning the prior strongly determines the entropy estimate in the under-sampled regime. We derive a family of continuous measures for mixing Pitman-Yor processes to produce an approximately flat prior over H. We show that the resulting "Pitman-Yor Mixture" (PYM) entropy estimator is consistent for a large class of distributions. Finally, we explore the theoretical properties of the resulting estimator, and show that it performs well both in simulation and in application to real data.
Tracing application program execution on the CRAY X-MP AND CRAY-2

Important insights into program operation can be gained by observing dynamic execution behavior. Unfortunately, many high-performance machines provide execution profile summaries as the only tool for performance investigation. We have developed a tracing library for the CRAY X-MP and CRAY-2 supercomputers that supports the low-overhead capture of execution events for sequential and multitasked programs. This library has been extended to use the automatic instrumentation facilities on these machines, allowing trace data from routine entry and exit, and other program segments, to be captured. To assess the utility of the trace-based tools, three of the Perfect Benchmark codes have been tested in scalar and vector modes with the tracing instrumentation. In addition to computing summary execution statistics from the traces, interesting execution dynamics appear when studying the trace histories. It is also possible to model application performance based on properties identified from traces. Our conclusion is that adding tracing support in Cray supercomputers can have significant returns in improved performance characterization and evaluation.
Persistent currents in normal metal rings.

The authors have measured the magnetic response of 33 individual cold mesoscopic gold rings, one ring at a time. The response of some sufficiently small rings has a component that is periodic in the flux through the ring and is attributed to a persistent current. Its period is close to h=e, and its sign and amplitude vary between rings. The amplitude distribution agrees well with predictions for the typical h=e current in diffusive rings. The temperature dependence of the amplitude, measured for four rings, is also consistent with theory. These results disagree with previous measurements of three individual metal rings that showed a much larger periodic response than expected. The use of a scanning SQUID microscope enabled in situ measurements of the sensor background. A paramagnetic linear susceptibility and a poorly understood anomaly around a zero field are attributed to defect spins.
Inferring Diffusion Dynamics from FCS in Heterogeneous Nuclear Environments

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is a noninvasive technique that probes the diffusion dynamics of proteins down to single-molecule sensitivity in living cells. Critical mechanistic insight is often drawn from FCS experiments by fitting the resulting time-intensity correlation function, G(t), to known diffusion models. When simple models fail, the complex diffusion dynamics of proteins within heterogeneous cellular environments can be fit to anomalous diffusion models with adjust- able anomalous exponents. Here, we take a different approach. We use the maximum entropy method to show—first using syn- thetic data—that a model for proteins diffusing while stochastically binding/unbinding to various affinity sites in living cells gives rise to a G(t) that could otherwise be equally well fit using anomalous diffusion models. We explain the mechanistic insight derived from our method. In particular, using real FCS data, we describe how the effects of cell crowding and binding to affinity sites manifest themselves in the behavior of G(t). Our focus is on the diffusive behavior of an engineered protein in 1) the het- erochromatin region of the cell's nucleus as well as 2) in the cell's cytoplasm and 3) in solution. The protein consists of the basic region-leucine zipper (BZip) domain of the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) fused to fluorescent proteins.
Iridium‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Allylic Substitution of Unstabilized Enolates Derived from α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

We report Ir-catalyzed, enantioselective allylic substitution reactions of unstabilized silyl enolates derived from α,β-unsaturated ketones. Asymmetric allylic substitution of a variety of allylic carbonates with silyl enolates gave allylated products in 62-94% yield with 90-98% ee and >20:1 branched-to-linear selectivity. The synthetic utility of this method was illustrated by the short synthesis of an anticancer agent, TEI-9826.
Price Competition in Communication Networks

We study the efficiency properties of oligopoly equilibria in congested networks. Our measure of efficiency is the difference between users’ willingness to pay and delay costs. Previous work has demonstrated that in networks consisting of parallel links, efficiency losses from competition are bounded. In contrast, in this paper we show that in the presence of serial links, the efficiency loss relative to the social optimum can be arbitrarily large because of the double marginalization problem, whereby each serial provider charges high prices not taking into account the effect of this strategy on the profits of other providers along the same path. Nevertheless, when there are no delay costs without transmission (i.e., latencies at zero are equal to zero), irrespective of the number of serial and parallel providers, the efficiency of strong oligopoly equilibria can be bounded by 1/2, where strong oligopoly equilibria are equilibria in which each provider plays a strict best response and all of the traffic is transmitted. However, even with strong oligopoly equilibria, inefficiency can be arbitrarily large when the assumption of no delay costs without transmission is relaxed.
A novel M-estimator for robust PCA

We study the basic problem of robust subspace recovery. That is, we assume a data set that some of its points are sampled around a fixed subspace and the rest of them are spread in the whole ambient space, and we aim to recover the fixed underlying subspace. We first estimate "robust inverse sample covariance" by solving a convex minimization procedure; we then recover the subspace by the bottom eigenvectors of this matrix (their number correspond to the number of eigenvalues close to 0). We guarantee exact subspace recovery under some conditions on the underlying data. Furthermore, we propose a fast iterative algorithm, which linearly converges to the matrix minimizing the convex problem. We also quantify the effect of noise and regularization and discuss many other practical and theoretical issues for improving the subspace recovery in various settings. When replacing the sum of terms in the convex energy function (that we minimize) with the sum of squares of terms, we obtain that the new minimizer is a scaled version of the inverse sample covariance (when exists). We thus interpret our minimizer and its subspace (spanned by its bottom eigenvectors) as robust versions of the empirical inverse covariance and the PCA subspace respectively. We compare our method with many other algorithms for robust PCA on synthetic and real data sets and demonstrate state-of-the-art speed and accuracy.
Direct approach to resolve the solar-neutrino problem

A direct approach to resolve the solar-neutrino problem would be to observe neutrinos by use of both neutral-current and charged-current reactions. Then, the total neutrino flux and the electron neutrino flux would be separately determined to provide independent tests of the neutrino-oscillation hypothesis and the standard solar model. A large heavy-water Cherenkov detector, sensitive to neutrinos from /sup 8/B decay via the neutral-current reaction ..nu..+d..--> nu..+p+n and the charged-current reaction ..nu../sub e/+d..-->..e/sup -/+p+p is suggested for this purpose.
Strategically Robust Urban Planning? A Demonstration of Concept:

Planning for the future is inherently risky. In most systems, exogenous driving forces affect any strategy�s performance. Uncertainty about the state of those driving forces requires strategies that perform well in the face of a range of possible, even improbable, future conditions. This study formalizes the relationship between different methods proposed in the literature for rigorously exploring possible futures and then develops and applies the computational technique of scenario discovery to the policy option of a subsidy for low-income households in downtown Lisbon. The work demonstrates one way in which urban models can be applied to identify robust urban development strategies. Using the UrbanSim model, we offer the first known example of applying computational scenario-discovery techniques to the urban realm. We construct scenarios from combinations of values for presumed exogenous variables�population growth rate, employment growth rate, gas prices, and construction costs�using a Latin-hypercube-sample experimental design. We then data mine the resulting alternative futures to identify scenarios in which an example policy fails to achieve its goals. This demonstration of concept aims to lead to a new practical application of integrated urban models in a way that quantitatively tests the strategic robustness of urban interventions.
The culture of China's mediation in regional and international affairs

Currently there seems to be an increasing interest in and demand for China's mediation in resolving conflict. To a certain extent, such a phenomenon is associated with China's re-emerging power. But more importantly, it is probably the style and skills of China's mediation that matters, which represents the emerging of a unique mediation culture, with China being its messenger. The paper examines key elements of such a mediation culture, using examples of China's mediation in regional and international affairs. The shaping of such a culture offers good lessons for mediators around the world who strive for effective conflict resolution.
A new framework for characterization of halftone textures

Characterization of halftone texture is important for quantitative assessment of halftone quality. In this paper, we develop a new framework based on directional local sequency analysis and a filter bank structure. We decompose a halftone image into subband images, from which we can easily reconstruct the original halftone. Based on these subband images, we define the directional sequency spectrum which is analogous to the two-dimensional Fourier spectrum, and formulate several texture measures. Two test image sets are used to justify these measures.
Finite Element Modeling of the Left Atrium to Facilitate the Design of an Endoscopic Atrial Retractor

With the worldwide prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, much attention has been focused on simulating the characteristics of the human heart to better understand and treat cardiac disorders. The purpose of this study is to build a finite element model of the left atrium (LA) that incorporates detailed anatomical features and realistic material characteristics to investigate the interaction of heart tissue and surgical instruments. This model is used to facilitate the design of an endoscopically deployable atrial retractor for use in minimally invasive, robotically assisted mitral valve repair. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of a pressurized explanted porcine heart were taken to provide a 3D solid model of the heart geometry, while uniaxial tensile tests of porcine left atrial tissue were conducted to obtain realistic material properties for noncontractile cardiac tissue. A finite element model of the LA was constructed using ANSYS Release 9.0 software and the MRI data. The Mooney-Rivlin hyperelastic material model was chosen to characterize the passive left atrial tissue; material constants were derived from tensile test data. Finite element analysis (FEA) models of a CardioVations Port Access retractor and a prototype endoscopic retractor were constructed to simulate interaction between each instrument and the LA. These contact simulations were used to compare the quality of retraction between the two instruments and to optimize the design of the prototype retractor. Model accuracy was verified by comparing simulated cardiac wall deflections to those measured by MRI. FEA simulations revealed that peak forces of approximately 2.85 N and 2.46 N were required to retract the LA using the Port Access and prototype retractors, respectively. These forces varied nonlinearly with retractor blade displacement. Dilation of the atrial walls and rigid body motion of the chamber were approximately the same for both retractors. Finite element analysis is shown to be an effective tool for analyzing instrument/tissue interactions and for designing surgical instruments. The benefits of this approach to medical device design are significant when compared to the alternatives: constructing prototypes and evaluating them via animal or clinical trials.
A DISTRIBUTED PRODUCT REALIZATION ENVIRONMENT FOR DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING

Increased competition is forcing product realization to change: to become faster and to leverage facilities and expertise, wherever they may be. Geographically distributed engineers must collaboratively develop, build and test solutions to design-manufacture problems to be competitive in the global marketplace. Software systems to support design and manufacturing activities must continuously evolve to accommodate rapid acquisition and use of knowledge throughout a global manufacturing enterprise. Engineers must operate in a distributed system in which separate entities communicate cooperatively ‐ ideas and information requests can be generated anywhere within the system, rapid turn-around is essential, and multiple projects must be handled simultaneously. Thus we want to provide a platformindependent framework to integrate distributed and heterogeneous software resources to support the computationally intensive activities in the product realization process. In this paper, we present a prototype platformindependent framework based on an experimental event-based communications model and describe its usage in a distributed product realization environment, the Rapid Tooling TestBed.
Encountering electronic work groups: a transaction costs perspective

The design of effective systems for cooperative work must be based on a thorough understanding of the forces that shape cooperation and influence the productivity of the work group. We argue that cooperative work is not a straightforward social process whose stability can be taken for granted. On the contrary, each case of work group formation and process is uniquely influenced by its contextual forces. The appropriate type of information technology for the work group, and the impact of the technology on work group performance, are also determined in part by that context.
The Supreme Court Decision in the Hobby Lobby Case: Conscience, Complicity, and Contraception

This publication examines the broad implications the United States Supreme Court's holding in Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby et al. could have on medical care. The Court in Hobby Lobby held the company could sue for an exemption from the contraceptive mandate of the Affordable Care Act on grounds that it was a substantial burden on the company's exercise of religious freedom. The reasoning in Hobby Lobby could extend beyond insurance and parallels to debates over "conscience-based" refusals to prescribe or dispense contraceptives. There is concern that companies may use this same logic to discriminate in the name of religion against same-sex spouses with regard to benefit packages; employers may object to state-mandated coverage of in vitro fertilization; and physicians may be able to withhold information from a patient under a religion based moral objection. Evidence shows the most effective methods of contraception that will lead to fewer unintended pregnancies, and thus, fewer abortions is access to the most effective methods of contraception. Hobby Lobby may well be driving its female employees to less effective methods of contraception, leading to more unintended pregnancies and pregnancy terminations. By its own logic, Hobby Lobby may now become complicit in those additional abortions.
First-Order Perturbation Analysis of Singular Vectors in Singular Value Decomposition

Singular value decomposition (SVD) is an important technique in signal processing. In the literature, the perturbation analysis of SVD has been well documented in the context of subspace decomposition. The contribution of the signal subspace to the perturbation of the singular vectors that span the signal subspace is often ignored as it is treated as second and higher order terms, and thus the first-order perturbation is typically given as the column span of the noise subspace. In this correspondence, we show that not only the noise subspace, but also the signal subspace, contribute to the first-order perturbation of the singular vectors. We further show that the contribution of the signal subspace does not impact on the performance analysis of algorithms that rely on the signal subspace for parameter estimation, but it affects the analysis of algorithms that depends on the individual basis vectors. For the latter, we also give a condition under which the contribution of the signal subspace to the perturbation of singular vectors may be ignored in the statistical sense. Numerical examples are provided to validate our theoretic claims.
Optimal dynamic nonlinear income taxes: facing an uncertain future with a sluggish government

We consider the optimal nonlinear income taxation problem in a dynamic, stochastic environment when the government is sluggish in the sense that it cannot change the tax rule as uncertainty resolves. We argue that the zero top marginal tax rate result in static models is of little practical importance because it actually holds only when the top earner in the initial period receives the highest shock in every period.
Convenient synthesis of 6,6-bicyclic malonamides: a new class of conformationally preorganized ligands for f-block ion binding.

A general synthetic approach was developed for the preparation of a series of 6,6-bicyclic malonamides, a class of ligands that provide a preorganized binding site for f-block ions (particularly trivalent lanthanides). The approach described is convenient to introduce a variety of functional groups at the amide nitrogens to tune the properties of the ligand without altering the preorganized binding. Each of the ten derivatives (that represent a range of functionality, including R = alkyl, hydroxy, phenyl, ester, perfluorocarbon) reported here derives from a single, readily prepared dialdehyde intermediate. This intermediate is converted to the final products via reductive amination with an appropriately functionalized benzylamine, followed by hydrogenolysis and lactam formation. Because derivatization occurs late in the synthesis, the approach is general, requiring only modification of the purification procedures for each new derivative. To aid in the purification of the bicyclic malonamides, we report a ...
Face-to-face metallocenes. The synthesis of a cymantrene-ferrocene triad.

Abstract 1,8-diiodonaphthalene is converted through successive coupling with cyclopentadienylcopper dimethyl sulfide followed by complexation with iron and then manganese tricarbonyl to the trimetallic complex 7 in which adjacent cyclopentadienylmanganese tricarbonyl and ferrocene units are held face-to-face.
Characterization of Discharge Modes of Plasma Actuators

Atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharges for aerodynamic flow control are investigated. The properties of the plasma discharge during positive and negative half-cycles of the driving voltage are studied experimentally and numerically. The simulations are performed in nitrogen. It is shown that during the positive half-cycle the plasma operates in the streamer mode, whereas the negative half-cycle is characterized by a glow-type discharge. The computational results are compared with experimental optical measurements and found to be in good agreement.
Entrepreneurship and the allocation of government spending under imperfect markets

Previous studies have established a negative relationship between total government spending and entrepreneurship activity. However, the relationship between the composition of government spending and entrepreneurial activity has been woefully under-researched. This paper fills this gap in the literature by empirically exploring the relationship between government spending on social and public goods and entrepreneurial activity under the assumption of credit market imperfections. By combining macroeconomic government spending data with individual-level entrepreneurship data, the analysis finds a positive relationship between increasing the share of social and public goods at the cost of private subsidies and entrepreneurship while confirming a negative relationship between total government consumption and entrepreneurial activity. The implication may be that expansion of total government spending includes huge increases in private subsidies, at the cost of social and public goods, and is detrimental for entrepreneurship.
Molecules in glass: probes, ordered assemblies, and functional materials.

Research on the properties and applications of molecules doped into sol–gel-derived silica matrices has expanded rapidly. This Account begins with a brief review of the use of the dopant molecules as probes of the changes that occur as the system evolves from the initial sol to the final xerogel during the formation of monoliths, thin films, and mesostructured films. Methods of deliberately placing desired molecules in specific regions of the mesostructure are discussed, and an application, energy transfer, is presented. Finally, encapsulation of biological molecules is examined, and two important aspects, stabilization of the biomolecules and applications as biosensors, are described.
Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of chiral allylic esters.

Trichloroacetimidate derivatives of prochiral (Z)-2-alken-1-ols react at room temperature with carboxylic acids to give chiral 3-acyloxy-1-alkenes in high enantiopurity in the presence of di-μ-acetatobis[(η5-(S)-(pR)-2-(2‘-(4‘-methylethyl)oxazolinyl)cyclopentadienyl,1-C,3‘-N)(η4-tetraphenylcyclobutadiene)cobalt]dipalladium (COP-OAc) or its enantiomer. This reaction has broad scope, proceeds with predictable high stereoinduction, is accomplished at room temperature using high substrate concentrations and low catalyst loadings, and likely proceeds by a novel mechanism.
Adaptive Antenna for Handheld GPS Receivers

: An adaptive antenna for handheld GPS receivers is presented. The antenna has a small aperture, small volume, and is lightweight. The antenna uses four spiral elements to provide broadband satellite coverage and can also be used in conjunction with a space-time adaptive processor (STAP) for interference suppression. The antenna with integrated feed is easy to fabricate as well. The performance of a simulated and experimental antenna is compared and found to be in agreement. Finally, the nulling performance of the antenna is examined for a few simple interference scenarios.
High-Dimensional Methods and Inference on Structural and Treatment Effects

using scanner datasets that record transaction-level data for households across a wide range of products, or text data where counts of words in documents may be wide range of products, or text data where counts of words in documents may be used as variables. In both of these latter examples, there may be thousands or tens used as variables. In both of these latter examples, there may be thousands or tens of thousands of available variables per observation. of thousands of available variables per observation. Second, even when the number of available variables is relatively small, Second, even when the number of available variables is relatively small, researchers rarely know the exact functional form with which the small number of researchers rarely know the exact functional form with which the small number of variables enters the model of interest. Researchers are thus faced with a large set variables enters the model of interest. Researchers are thus faced with a large set of potential variables formed by different ways of interacting and transforming the of potential variables formed by different ways of interacting and transforming the underlying variables. underlying variables.
A canonical semi-classical star product

We study the Maurer-Cartan equation of the pre-Lie algebra of graphs controlling the deformation theory of associative algebras. We prove that there is a canonical solution (choice independent) within the class of graphs without circuits, i.e. at the level of the free operad, without imposing the Jacobi identity. The proof is a consequence of the unique factorization property of the pre-Lie algebra of graphs (tree operad), where composition is the insertion of graphs. The restriction to graphs without circuits, i.e. at “tree level”, accounts for the interpretation as a semi-classical solution. The fact that this solution is canonical should not be surprising, in view of the Hausdorff series, which lies at the core of almost all quantization prescriptions.
The impact of two-tier producer and consumer food pricing in India

India's government procures agricultural products such as rice, wheat, and sugar at below-market prices and sells them in both urban and rural ration shops. The rest of such crops is sold in the open market. This creates a two-tier price system for consumers and producers. Many (including Dantwala, Mellor, and Hayami, Subbarao, and Otsuka) claim that such a policy raises the open-market price so much that it ultimately increases the average price received by farmers. If true, the gainers would be the farm sector as a whole and low-income urban consumers with access to the ration shops. Losers would be the high-income urban consumers who buy at the open-market price. This view has provided an intellectual basis for the policy. The author examines a variety of cases: with and without rationing, with rationing by ration cards or by queuing, with and without the urban rich having access to the ration shops, with and without free trade, and with a marketable surplus with positive, negative, or zero price elasticity. He finds that in most cases the policy's impact on the average price is either negative or ambiguous, and it is negative in the more realistic cases. A negative impact implies that farmers on the whole lose from the procurement policy. But small farmers who are net buyers of the procured crops, and landless laborers, gain from a lower average price in the short run (especially if they have easy access to the rural ration shops). The long-run effect depends on the impact of the lower average price on rural employment and wages.
Structure, classification, and conformal symmetry of elementary particles over non-archimedean space-time

It is well known that at distances shorter than Planck length, no length measurements are possible. The Volovich hypothesis asserts that at sub-Planckian distances and times, spacetime itself has a non-Archimedean geometry. We discuss the structure of elementary particles, their classification, and their conformal symmetry under this hypothesis. Specifically, we investigate the projective representations of the p-adic Poincare and Galilean groups, using a new variant of the Mackey machine for projective unitary representations of semidirect products of locally compact and second countable (lcsc) groups. We construct the conformal spacetime over p-adic fields and discuss the imbedding of the p-adic Poincare group into the p-adic conformal group. Finally, we show that the massive and the so called eventually masssive particles of the Poincare group do not have conformal symmetry. The whole picture bears a close resemblance to what happens over the field of real numbers, but with some significant variations.