cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-Contrast Imaging from Space: Speckle Nulling in a Low-Aberration Regime

High-contrast imaging from space must overcome two major noise sources to successfully detect a terrestrial planet angularly close to its parent star: photon noise from diffracted starlight and speckle noise from starlight scattered by instrumentally generated wave front perturbation. Coronagraphs tackle only the photon noise contribution by reducing diffracted starlight at the location of a planet. Speckle noise should be addressed with adaptive optics systems. Following the tracks of Malbet, Yu, and Shao, we develop in this paper two analytical methods for wave front sensing and control that aims at creating "dark holes," i.e., areas of the image plane cleared of speckles, assuming an ideal coronagraph and small aberrations. The first method, "speckle field nulling," is a fast FFT-based algorithm that requires the deformable-mirror influence functions to have identical shapes. The second method, "speckle energy minimization," is more general and provides the optimal deformable mirror shape via matrix inversion. With an N × N deformable mirror, the size of the matrix to be inverted is either N2 × N2 in the general case or only N × N if the influence functions can be written as the tensor product of two one-dimensional functions. Moreover, speckle energy minimization makes it possible to trade off some of the dark hole area against an improved contrast. For both methods, complex wave front aberrations (amplitude and phase) are measured using just three images taken with the science camera (no dedicated wave front sensing channel is used); therefore, there are no noncommon path errors. We assess the theoretical performance of both methods with numerical simulations including realistic speckle noise and experimental influence functions. We find that these speckle-nulling techniques should be able to improve the contrast by several orders of magnitude.
Generalized orbifold Euler characteristic of symmetric products and equivariant Morava K-theory

We introduce the notion of generalized orbifold Euler charac- teristic associated to an arbitrary group, and study its properties. We then calculate generating functions of higher order (p-primary) orbifold Euler characteristic of symmetric products of a G-manifold M. As a corollary, we obtain a formula for the number of conjugacy classes of d-tuples of mu- tually commuting elements (of order powers of p) in the wreath product GoSn in terms of corresponding numbers of G. As a topological applica- tion, we present generating functions of Euler characteristic of equivariant Morava K-theories of symmetric products of a G-manifold M. AMS Classication 55N20, 55N91; 57S17, 57D15, 20E22, 37F20, 05A15
Detecting the tb decays of a charged Higgs boson at a hadron supercollider

Abstract We demonstrate that detection of a charged Higgs boson decaying via H ± → tb will be possible at the LHC in gg → H − bt events, provided the H + → tb coupling, m t ≲ 100 GeV, and reasonably effecient and pure b -tagging can be performed.
Evaluating an Alternative Risk Preference in Affine Term Structure Models

Dai and Singleton (2002) and Duffee (2002) show that there is a tension in affine term structure models between matching the mean and the volatility of interest rates. This article examines whether this tension can be solved by an alternative parametrization of the price of risk. The empirical evidence suggests that, first, the examined parametrization is not sufficient to solve the mean-volatility tension. Second, the usual result in the estimation of affine models, indicating that some of the state variables are extremely persistent, may have been caused by the lack of flexibility in the parametrization of the price of risk. Term structure models have several uses, including pricing fixed-income derivatives, managing the risk of fixed-income portfolios, and detecting relationships between the term structure of interest rates and macrovariables such as inflation and consumption. To perform well in these tasks, term structure models must be numerically and econometrically tractable while matching the empirical properties of the term structure movements. At least two empirical properties of the term structure of interest rates have been well established by financial economists over the years [see Dai and Singleton (2003) for a survey]. First, the term premium, or the expected excess return of Treasury bonds, has a high time variability. Second, the volatility of interest rates is time varying. These two properties are so prominent in the data that they will be referred to as stylized facts. While these two stylized facts are very well established in the empirical literature, affine term structure models are thoroughly discussed in the theoretical literature. Affine models are those in which the yield of zero coupon bonds are affine functions of the model state variables. Classic
Nitric oxide therapy for the newborn infant.

Inhaled nitric oxide (INO) is a novel selective pulmonary vasodilator without significant effects on the systemic circulation. Initial case studies of near-term newborn infants with hypoxic respiratory failure and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn showed that INO was associated with improvements in oxygenation. There have now been at least 11 prospective randomized controlled trials evaluating the use of INO in the near-term neonate with hypoxic respiratory failure, 10 of which have been published. A meta-analysis of these trials provides evidence that INO improved the PaO 2 in the INO treated infants by 46.4 torr (weighted mean difference) compared with controls(95% CI, 34.2, 58.5) and significantly decreased the oxygenation index by 10.7 compared with controls (95% CI, −14.1, −7.4). The incidence of death or need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was significantly reduced by treatment with INO, relative risk (RR) 0.72 compared to control (95% CI, 0.6, 0.87) with the majority of the improvement seen in the reduction in the need for ECMO. Infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia do not appear to benefit from early INO therapy. The only prospective trials evaluating INO in premature infants to date have not found that this therapy is associated with significant clinical benefit. The long-term evaluations of near-term and full-term infants who have received INO suggest that this therapy does not increase the incidence of adverse neurodevelopmental sequelae in these high-risk infants. INO is an effective therapy for the hypoxic term neonate and will reduce the occurrence of death or the need for ECMO in this population. Further research is required to evaluate the benefit of this therapy in the hypoxic preterm infant.
Cosmos: A Radiation-Chemo-Hydrodynamics Code for Astrophysical Problems

We have developed a new massively parallel radiation-hydrodynamics code (Cosmos) for Newtonian and relativistic astrophysical problems that also includes radiative cooling, self-gravity, and nonequilibrium, multispecies chemistry. Several numerical methods are implemented for the hydrodynamics, including options for both internal and total energy conserving schemes. Radiation is treated using flux-limited diffusion. The chemistry incorporates 27 reactions, including both collisional and radiative processes for atomic hydrogen and helium gases, and molecular hydrogen chains. In this paper we discuss the equations and present results from test problems carried out to verify the robustness and accuracy of our code in the Newtonian regime. An earlier paper presented tests of the relativistic capabilities of Cosmos.
Methodologic issues in hospital-based injury research

Studies of trauma patients at clinical facilities commonly are flawed because nothing is known about kinetic or other energy forces causing injuries, and analysis may be limited only to inpatients, with no knowledge about those not injured, those with injuries not requiring treatment, those seen only in the emergency department, or those who died at the scene. Such problems are exacerbated in studies from trauma centers, whose populations reflect additional triage. Where alcohol is involved, acute intoxication may cause erroneous AIS, ISS, and Glasgow Coma Scale ratings based on initial patient assessment. Also, selective differences in frequency of testing for alcohol among different categories of patients can alter results.
Tandem oxidation of allylic and benzylic alcohols to esters catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes.

N-Heterocyclic carbenes catalyze the oxidation of allylic, propargylic, and benzylic alcohols to esters with manganese(IV) oxide in excellent yields. A variety of ester derivatives can be synthesized, including protected carboxylates. This one-pot tandem oxidation represents the first organocatalytic oxidation of alcohols to esters. Saturated esters can also be accessed from aldehydes using this method. Through the utilization of a chiral catalyst, the acyl−heteroazolium intermediate becomes a chiral acylating agent, which can desymmetrize meso-1,2-diols.
Comparing clusters and supercomputers for lattice QCD

Abstract Since the development of the Beowulf project to build a parallel computer from commodity PC components, there have been many such clusters built. The MILC QCD code has been run on a variety of clusters and supercomputers. Key design features are identified, and the cost effectiveness of clusters and supercomputers are compared.
Fast estimation of true bounds on Bermudan option prices under jump-diffusion processes

Fast pricing of American-style options has been a difficult problem since it was first introduced to the financial markets in 1970s, especially when the underlying stocks’ prices follow some jump-diffusion processes. In this paper, we extend the ‘true martingale algorithm’ proposed by Belomestny et al. [Math. Finance, 2009, 19, 53–71] for the pure-diffusion models to the jump-diffusion models, to fast compute true tight upper bounds on the Bermudan option price in a non-nested simulation manner. By exploiting the martingale representation theorem on the optimal dual martingale driven by jump-diffusion processes, we are able to explore the unique structure of the optimal dual martingale and construct an approximation that preserves the martingale property. The resulting upper bound estimator avoids the nested Monte Carlo simulation suffered by the original primal–dual algorithm, therefore significantly improving the computational efficiency. Theoretical analysis is provided to guarantee the quality of the ...
Polynomial Chaos-Based Analysis of Probabilistic Uncertainty in Hypersonic Flight Dynamics

In this paper, we present a novel computational framework for analyzing the evolution of the uncertainty in state trajectories of a hypersonic air vehicle due to the uncertainty in initial conditions and other system parameters. The framework is built on the so-called generalized polynomial chaos expansions. In this framework, stochastic dynamical systems are transformed into equivalent deterministic dynamical systems in higher dimensional space. Here, the evolution of uncertainty due to initial condition, ballistic coefficient, lift over drag ratio, and atmospheric density is analyzed. The problem studied here is related to the Mars entry, descent, and landing problems. We demonstrate that the polynomial chaos framework is able to predict evolution of uncertainty, in hypersonic flight, with the same order of accuracy as the Monte-Carlo methods but with more computational efficiency.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Image Quality Considerations

Characteristics of radar scattering, the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging process, and display devices are considered with respect to their effects on the quality of the resulting image. A set of SAR image quality measures which relate to application information requirements are specified, and associated measurement techniques are presented.
Sizing Up The Daily Show: Audience Perceptions of Political Comedy Programming

As young Americans increasingly turn to political comedy programs like The Daily Show, scholars should seek to understand viewers' perceptions of these shows. To study audience perceptions, we draw on the theoretical lens of the “third-person effect,” examining audience evaluations of The Daily Show in comparison to evaluations of hard news programming (Davison, 1983). The analyses presented in this research are based on data from an experimental study conducted with undergraduate participants (N = 332) at a major Midwestern university in the spring of 2007. Our findings reveal a significant third-person effect pattern for comedy programming, distinct from that observed for traditional hard news, among a key segment of the political comedy audience. A subsequent evaluation of hostile media effects connected with The Daily Show broadens our investigation of the perceived impacts related to viewing political comedy. We conclude by discussing the ways that this pattern of findings helps illuminate the direct...
Effects of Catalytic and Dry Low NOx Combustor Turbulence on Endwall Heat Transfer Distributions

Endwall heat transfer distributions taken in a large-scale low speed linear cascade facility are documented for mock catalytic and dry low NO x (DLN) combustion systems. Inlet turbulence levels range from about 1.0% for the mock catalytic combustor condition to 14% for the mock dry low NO( combustor system. Stanton number contours are presented at both turbulence conditions for Reynolds numbers based on true chord length and exit conditions ranging from 500,000 to 2,000,000. Catalytic combustor endwall heat transfer shows the influence of the complex three-dimensional flow field, while the effects of individual vortex systems are less evident for the mock dry low NO x cases. Turbulence scales have been documented for both cases. Inlet boundary layers are relatively thin for both the mock catalytic and DLN combustor cases. Inlet boundary layer parameters are presented across the inlet passage for the three Reynolds numbers and both the mock catalytic and DLN combustor inlet cases
Stability of noncharacteristic boundary layers in the standing-shock limit

We investigate one- and multi-dimensional stability of noncharacteristic boundary layers in the limit approaching a standing planar shock wave U(x1), x 1 > 0, obtaining necessary conditions of (i) weak stability of the limiting shock, (ii) weak stability of the constant layer u≡ U - := lim z→-∞ Ū(z), and (iii) nonnegativity of a modified Lopatinski determinant similar to that of the inviscid shock case. For Lax 1-shocks, we obtain equally simple sufficient conditions; for p-shocks, p > 1, the situation appears to be more complicated. Using these results, we determine the stability of certain gas dynamical boundary layers, generalizing earlier work of Serre—Zumbrun and Costanzino-Humphreys—Nguyen—Zumbrun.
LARGE POLARON IN AN ANHARMONIC CRYSTAL LATTICE

Extending the Frohlich polaron problem to an anharmonic lattice, the author studies a polaronic state with a large radius of the wave function. The appropriate anharmonic part of the electron–phonon interaction Hamiltonian is derived, based on the methods of quantum field theory. Then, with the help of the perturbation theory, the anharmonic correction to the electron–phonon coupling constant is straightforwardly calculated. The estimate of this correction shows that the anharmonicity can considerably increase the e–ph coupling constant if the longitudinal phonon frequency is lower than ~10 meV. Several materials, molecular crystals α-sexithiophene (α-6T), α, ω dihexylsexithiophene (H-6T), and perovskite-type oxides, in which the anharmonic polaronic effects should be pronounced, are discussed. A comparison of the results with other anharmonic models of a polaronic state is drawn.
The viviparous12 maize mutant is deficient in abscisic acid, carotenoids, and chlorophyll synthesis

The carotenoid/viviparous maize (Zea mays L.) mutant vp12 is a single locus mutation that results in lemon-coloured endosperms, viviparous embryos and albino seedlings. This work presents the first molecular and biochemical analysis of vp12. Levels of ABA were measured during embryo development and also in isolated organs under water deficit stress. ABA levels were lower in developing embryos of mutants than in non-mutant siblings at all stages analysed. In addition, under water deficit, mutant organs accumulated less ABA than corresponding non-mutant sibling organs. Furthermore, immature mutant embryos accumulated transcripts for several ABA or water deficit-responsive genes, Em, glb1, glb2, rab17, and vp1. These results indicated that vp12 is deficient in ABA accumulation, but not in the ABA signal transduction pathway. Analysis of carotenoid extracts showed that mutant endosperms accumulated lower amounts of coloured precursors than non-mutant endosperms. The expression of key enzymes in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway was also analysed in vp12 endosperms. Western analysis indicated that phytoene synthase (PSY) was present at equal levels in normal and mutant endosperms. In addition, phytoene desaturase (PDS) transcript levels were similar in non-mutant and mutant tissues. Transcripts for geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GGPPS), on the other hand, accumulated at lower levels in mutant endosperms than in non-mutant ones. However, Southern analysis of genomic DNA from normal and mutant tissues indicated that the gene encoding GGPPS is unlikely to be directly affected in vp12. Finally, vp12 seedlings grown under dim-light conditions produced white leaves, showing that vp12 is deficient in chlorophyll as well as carotenoid synthesis.
Colonialism and Modern Income -- Islands as Natural Experiments

Abstract Using a new database of islands throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans we find a robust positive relationship between the number of years spent as a European colony and current GDP per capita. We argue that the nature of discovery and colonization of islands provides random variation in the length and type of colonial experience. We instrument for length of colonization using variation in prevailing wind patterns. We argue that wind speed and direction had a significant effect on historical colonial rule but do not have a direct effect on GDP today. The data also suggest that years as a colony after 1700 are more beneficial than earlier years. We also find a discernable pecking order among the colonial powers, with years under U.S., British, French, and Dutch rule having more beneficial effects than Spanish or Portuguese rule. Our finding of a strong connection between modern income and years of colonization is conditional on being colonized at all since each of the islands in our da...
The one-minute risk assessment tool

An analysis of risks in software development, using data from senior IT managers, produced surprising results. Our one-minute assessment tool applies those results to assessing the risks of specific projects.
Global seismic effects of basin-forming impacts

A Lagrangian computer program is used to study the effects of large impacts on planetary surfaces. More specifically, the global seismic effects for cratering energies of 10 to the 24th and 10 to the 25th J between the Copernicus and Imbrium lunar events are investigated. The phenomenologies for assumed solid and molten planetary interiors are compared. The main results of this investigation are: (1) far-field effects are found to be largely independent of cratering mechanisms, (2) antipodal seismic effects, which are of substantial magnitude, are greatly enhanced by focusing, (3) the most violent activity takes place at significant depth, (4) seismic effects are more pronounced for a molten planet than for a solid one, and (5) tensile failure may occur at depths of tens of kilometers beneath the antipode, or over the entire surface at shallower depths. These results suggest that the unusual terrains antipodal to large planetary basins may have been greatly modified by seismicity generated by the basin-forming impacts, and that the impacts may have brecciated the entire lithospheres of the terrestrial planets as the lithospheres formed and thickened
Work Performance After Dehydration: Effects of Physical Conditioning and Heat Acclimatization

Three groups of five men each were dehydrated overnight in the heat (115 degrees F) on two occasions (D1 and D2) to approximately 5.5% of their starting body weight. During the 3-week period between D1 and D2, one group (AC) was acclimatized to heat and physically conditioned, the second group (C) was physically conditioned and the third group (S) remained sedentary. The response to work after dehydration was assessed by the following criteria: pulse rate (P), rectal temperature (Tr) and maximal oxygen intake (Max. VO2). Pulse rates during and after walking and after running were elevated with dehydration. This elevation was reduced in groups AC and C at D2 as compared to D1, but not in group S. An elevation in T1 with walking also occurred with dehydration, but this elevation was not significantly different at D2 as compared with D1 in any group. Physical conditioning elicited an elevation in Max. VO2 (group AC and C), but the elevation was no greater in group AC than in group C. Dehydration was associated with an equal decrement in Max. VO2 at D1 and D2 in all groups, but the conditioned men (AC and C) maintained a relatively higher Max. VO2 than group S. Thus, physical conditioning was associated with enhanced work performance during dehydration (assessed by the above criteria), whereas acclimatization to heat did not appreciably supplement this effect.
Kinetic and thermodynamic processes of organic species at the solution-solid interface: the view through an STM.

A focused review is presented on the evolution of our understanding of the kinetic and thermodynamic factors that play a critical role in the formation of well ordered organic adlayers at the solution–solid interface. While the current state of knowledge is in the very early stages, it is now clear that assumptions of kinetic or thermodynamic control are dangerous and require careful confirmation. Equilibrium processes at the solution–solid interface are being described by evolving thermodynamic models that utilize concepts from the thermodynamics of micelles. A surface adsorption version of the Born–Haber cycle is helping to extract the thermodynamic functions of state associated with equilibrium structures, but only a very few systems have been so analyzed. The kinetics of surface phase transformation, especially for polymorphic phases is in an early qualitative stage. Adsorption and desorption kinetics are just starting to be measured. The study of kinetics and thermodynamics for organic self-assembly at the solution–solid interface is experiencing very exciting and rapid growth.
Two-variable linear programming in parallel

Two-variable linear programming is a fundamental problem in computational geometry. Sequentially, this problem was solved optimally in linear time by Megiddo and Dyer using the elegant prune-and-search technique. In parallel, the previously best known deterministic algorithm on the EREW PRAM for this problem takes O(log n log log n) time and O(n) work. In this paper, we present a faster parallel deterministic two-variable linear programming algorithm, which takes O(log n log* n) time and O(n) work on the EREW PRAM. Our algorithm is based on an interesting parallel prune-and-search technique, and makes use of new geometric observations which can be viewed as generalizations of those used by Megiddo and Dyer's sequential algorithms. Our parallel prune-and-search technique also leads to efficient EREW PRAM algorithms for other problems, and is likely to be useful in solving more problems.
The Comparison between the Echocardiographic Data to the Cardiac Catheterization Data on the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Follow-Up in Patients Diagnosed as Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

Background Isolated pulmonary valve stenosis (PS) makes up 6-9% of all congenital heart defects among children. The initial gold standard for diagnosis, follow-up of PS is by echocardiography. However, the most accurate diagnosis still remains to be measurement of the pressure gradient through transcatheterization. The purpose of this study is to compare the difference between the echocardiographic data to the cardiac catheterization data on the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up in patients diagnosed as PS, and to see what parameters should be closely monitored.
Matrix models, monopoles and modified moduli

Motivated by the Dijkgraaf-Vafa correspondence, we consider the matrix model duals of = 1 supersymmetric SU(Nc) gauge theories with Nf flavors. We demonstrate via the matrix model solutions a relation between vacua of theories with different numbers of colors and flavors. This relation is due to an = 2 nonrenormalization theorem which is inherited by these = 1 theories. Specializing to the case Nf = Nc, the simplest theory containing baryons, we demonstrate that the explicit matrix model predictions for the locations on the Coulomb branch at which monopoles condense are consistent with the quantum modified constraints on the moduli in the theory. The matrix model solutions include the case that baryons obtain vacuum expectation values. In specific cases we check explicitly that these results are also consistent with the factorization of corresponding Seiberg-Witten curves. Certain results are easily understood in terms of M5-brane constructions of these gauge theories.
Intrinsic DX centers in ternary chalcopyrite semiconductors.

In III-V and II-VI semiconductors, certain nominally electron-donating impurities do not release electrons but instead form deep electron-traps known as ``$DX$ centers.'' While in these compounds, such traps occur only after the introduction of foreign impurity atoms, we find from first-principles calculations that in ternary $\mathrm{I}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}\mathrm{III}\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}{\mathrm{VI}}_{2}$ chalcopyrites like ${\mathrm{CuInSe}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{CuGaSe}}_{2}$, $DX$-like centers can develop without the presence of any extrinsic impurities. These intrinsic $DX$ centers are suggested as a cause of the difficulties to maintain high efficiencies in ${\mathrm{CuInSe}}_{2}$-based thin-film solar-cells when the band gap is increased by addition of Ga.
Evaluating metal–organic frameworks for natural gas storage

Metal–organic frameworks have received significant attention as a new class of adsorbents for natural gas storage; however, inconsistencies in reporting high-pressure adsorption data and a lack of comparative studies have made it challenging to evaluate both new and existing materials. Here, we briefly discuss high-pressure adsorption measurements and review efforts to develop metal–organic frameworks with high methane storage capacities. To illustrate the most important properties for evaluating adsorbents for natural gas storage and for designing a next generation of improved materials, six metal–organic frameworks and an activated carbon, with a range of surface areas, pore structures, and surface chemistries representative of the most promising adsorbents for methane storage, are evaluated in detail. High-pressure methane adsorption isotherms are used to compare gravimetric and volumetric capacities, isosteric heats of adsorption, and usable storage capacities. Additionally, the relative importance of increasing volumetric capacity, rather than gravimetric capacity, for extending the driving range of natural gas vehicles is highlighted. Other important systems-level factors, such as thermal management, mechanical properties, and the effects of impurities, are also considered, and potential materials synthesis contributions to improving performance in a complete adsorbed natural gas system are discussed.
FABRICATION OF COPPER AND GOLD NANOCLUSTERS IN MGO (100) BY MEV ION IMPLANTATION

Abstract MeV ions of Au and Cu were implanted into single crystals of MgO (100) and the formation of metallic nanoclusters was observed by an indirect method of optical absorption spectrophotometry. Using Mie's theory we related the observed optical absorption band to the formation of nanoclusters and using Doyle's theory, as well as Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), we correlated the full width half maximum (FWHM) of the absorption bands to the estimated size of the metallic nanoclusters between 1 and 10 nm. These clusters were formed by implantation above the threshold fluence for cluster formation and by a combination of threshold fluence of the implanted species and thermal annealing. The changes in the estimated size of the nanoclusters, after annealing at temperatures ranging from 500°C to 1000°C, were observed using optical absorption spectrophotometry and calculated using Doyle's theory.
Photon-efficient quantum key distribution using time–energy entanglement with high-dimensional encoding

Conventional quantum key distribution (QKD) typically uses binary encoding based on photon polarization or time-bin degrees of freedom and achieves a key capacity of at most one bit per photon. Under photon-starved conditions the rate of detection events is much lower than the photon generation rate, because of losses in long distance propagation and the relatively long recovery times of available single-photon detectors. Multi-bit encoding in the photon arrival times can be beneficial in such photon-starved situations. Recent security proofs indicate high-dimensional encoding in the photon arrival times is robust and can be implemented to yield high secure throughput. In this work we demonstrate entanglement-based QKD with high-dimensional encoding whose security against collective Gaussian attacks is provided by a high-visibility Franson interferometer. We achieve unprecedented key capacity and throughput for an entanglement-based QKD system because of four principal factors: Franson interferometry that does not degrade with loss; error correction coding that can tolerate high error rates; optimized time–energy entanglement generation; and highly efficient WSi superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. The secure key capacity yields as much as 8.7 bits per coincidence. When optimized for throughput we observe a secure key rate of 2.7 Mbit s−1 after 20 km fiber transmission with a key capacity of 6.9 bits per photon coincidence. Our results demonstrate a viable approach to high-rate QKD using practical photonic entanglement and single-photon detection technologies.
The Bose-Einstein Condensate -- A Superfluid Gas of Coherent Atoms

Following the theoretical suggestion [2], we have demonstrated a new method to create vortices in Bose-Einstein condensates. Vortices were imprinted into the condensate wavefunction using topological phases. Sodium condensates held in an Ioffe-Pritchard magnetic trap were transformed from a non-rotating state to one with quantized circulation by adiabatically inverting the magnetic bias field along the trap axis [3]. During this process, the magnetic fields rotated around position-dependent axes, and the associated Berry’s phase resulted in a vortex singularity. Using surface wave spectroscopy, the axial angular momentum per particle of the vortex states was found to be consistent with 2 or 4 , depending on the hyperfine state of the condensate.
Exploratory Structural Investigation of a Hawkmoth-Inspired MAV's Thorax:

Manduca Sexta present excellent flight performances which make this insect an ideal candidate for bio-inspired engineered micro air vehicles. The actual insect presents an energetically very efficient thorax-wing flight system which needs to be fully understood for an effective design of artificial flying machines. This work discusses a preliminary finite element model which simulates the thorax-wing system and the muscles involved in the flapping motion. Both upstroke and downstroke conditions are statically analyzed with the application of load sets that simulate the contractions of the dorso-ventral and dorso-longitudinal muscles (indirect flight). Comparison with commercial software and experimental results is also presented and discussed.
Vertex models and random labyrinths: phase diagrams for ice-type vertex models

We propose a simple geometric recipe which allows the deduction of phase diagrams for a general class of vertex models obeying the ice rule. The disordered phase maps onto intersecting loop models which are interesting in their own right and are related to other statistical mechanical models. This mapping is also useful for the understanding of some ordered phases of these vertex models as they correspond to the polymer loop models with cross-links in their vulcanized phase.
Cassini States with Dissipation: Why Obliquity Tides Cannot Inflate Hot Jupiters

Some short-period exoplanets ("hot Jupiters") are observed by their transits to have anomalously large radii. It has been suggested that these planets are in a resonance involving persistent misalignment and synchronous precession of their spin and orbital angular momenta (a Cassini state) and that the attendant tidal heating inflates the planet. We argue against this. Using explicit tidal integrations, we show that although an oblique Cassini state can dissipate many times the planet's rotational energy, the rate of dissipation must be much less than hypothesized. Dissipation causes the planetary spin to lie at an angle to the plane containing the orbital and total angular momenta. If dissipation is too rapid, this angle becomes so large that Cassini equilibrium is lost. A separate consideration limits the total energy that can be extracted from the orbit. The source of the torque on the orbit, either an oblique parent star or an inclined third body, aligns with the orbit as it absorbs the angular momentum shed by the planet. Alignment removes the orbital precession required by the Cassini state. In combination with observational bounds on the mass and semimajor axis of a possible second planet and with bounds on the stellar rotation and obliquity, these constraints make it very unlikely that obliquity tides can be the explanation for inflated hot Jupiters, especially HD 209458b.
On path integrals for the high-dimensional Brownian bridge

Let v be a bounded function with bounded support in Rd⩾ 3. Let x,yϵRd. Let Z(t) denote the path integral of v along the path of a Brownian bridge in Rd which runs for time t, starting at x and ending at y. As t → ∞, it is perhaps evident that the distribution of Z(t) converges weakly to that of the sum of the integrals of v along the paths of two independent Brownian motions, starting at x and y and running forever. Here we prove a stronger result, namely convergence of the corresponding moment generating functions and of moments. This result is needed for applications in physics.
Internal Extinction in Spiral Galaxies in the Near-Infrared

In order to study the effects of internal extinction in spiral galaxies, we search for correlations of near-infrared (NIR) photometric parameters with inclination. We use data from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) Extended Source Catalog (XSC) on 15,224 spiral galaxies for which we also have redshifts. For 3035 of the galaxies, I-band photometry is available, which is included in the analysis. From the simple dependence of reddening on inclination we derive a lower limit to the difference in magnitude between the face-on and edge-on aspect of 0.9, 0.3, and 0.1 mag in I (0.81 μm), J (1.25 μm), and H (1.65 μm) bands. We find that the faintest isophotal radius reported in the XSC (at the 21st mag arcsec-2 level) is closer to the centers of the galaxies than other common isophotal measures (e.g., the 23.5 mag arcsec-2 radius in I band) and argue that it should not be assumed to represent an outer isophote at which galaxies are transparent at all viewing angles. A simple linear extinction law [i.e., ΔM = γ log (a/b)] is not adequate for the full range of disk inclinations, and we adopt both a bilinear and a quadratic law. A simple photometric model is used to explain the observed behavior. Internal extinction depends on galaxy luminosity. We show that for galaxies with a Ks total magnitude dimmer than -20, -20.7, and -20.9 the data indicate zero extinction in J, H, and Ks, respectively, while disk opacity increases monotonically with increasing disk luminosity.
Alizarin Red S. as a general optical reporter for studying the binding of boronic acids with carbohydrates

Alizarin Red S. displays a dramatic change in fluorescence intensity and color in response to the binding of a boronic acid and can be used as a general reporter for studying carbohydrate–boronic acid interactions, both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Synthesis of a Nine-Membered Ring via the Intramolecular Ni(II)/Cr(II)-Mediated Coupling Reaction. Unusual Effect of Concentration on the Course of the Reaction

Abstract The first synthesis of a nine-membered ring by means of an intramolecular Ni(II)/Cr(II)-mediated coupling reaction between an iodoacetylene and an aldehyde is reported. The yield of the reaction is strongly dependent on the substrate concentration, but is independent of both the NiCl2 and CrCl2 concentration at high dilution. The application of this methodology to the synthesis of neocarzinostatin chromophore and other natural products is discussed.
Glueball mass spectra and other issues for supergravity duals of QCD models

We derive WKB expressions for glueball masses of various finite temperature supergravity models. The results are very close to recent numerical computations. We argue that the spectra has some universality that depends only on the dimension of the AdS space and the singularity structure of the horizon. This explains the stability of the 0^(++) glueball mass ratios between various models. We also consider the recently proposed nonsupersymmetric model arising from the type 0 string. In the supergravity limit of this model, the heavy quark potential has an effective coupling with 1/(log u) behavior in the UV. Unfortunately, the supergravity solution implies that the heavy quark potential is still coulombic in the infrared, with an effective coupling of order 1. We also argue that the type 0 supergravity background solution does not have normalizable glueball solutions.
Kanban‐controlled exponential production lines: analysis and design

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study kanban‐controlled pull‐systems with machines having the exponential reliability model and with buffers finite capacities.Design/methodology/approach – Using Markovian analysis closed formulas are derived for the performance metrics such as customer service level, average inventory level, and throttling of raw part release, for one‐machine systems. Then, a recursive procedure is developed to extend the performance evaluation technique to multi‐machine systems.Findings – Once system‐theoretic properties of the systems under consideration are investigated, the paper reveals methods for evaluating the smallest, i.e. lean, number of kanbans that ensure the desired level of customer service which are developed.Originality/value – Production systems can operate in either push or pull regime. The push‐systems have been analyzed extensively for over 50 years, while the pull‐systems have been studied to a much lesser extent.
Catalyst-Controlled Aliphatic C–H Oxidations with a Predictive Model for Site-Selectivity

Selective aliphatic C-H bond oxidations may have a profound impact on synthesis because these bonds exist across all classes of organic molecules. Central to this goal are catalysts with broad substrate scope (small-molecule-like) that predictably enhance or overturn the substrate’s inherent reactivity preference for oxidation (enzyme-like). We report a simple small-molecule, non-heme iron catalyst that achieves predictable catalyst-controlled site-selectivity in preparative yields over a range of topologically diverse substrates. A catalyst reactivity model quantitatively correlates the innate physical properties of the substrate to the site-selectivities observed as a function of the catalyst.
How Do Changes in Welfare Law Affect Domestic Violence? An Analysis of Connecticut Towns, 1990–2000

Abstract The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act transformed welfare from an ongoing cash assistance program by restricting participation through time limits and emphasizing rapid entrance into the labor force. Changes in welfare dependency induced by these legal reforms had the potential to impact rates of domestic violence. Using decennial census, welfare caseload, and police report data, this paper investigates the introduction of time limits and work mandates across Connecticut towns. For a variety of reasons, Connecticut proves to be an ideal laboratory from which to obtain evidence. We find that rates of domestic violence fell in Connecticut with the passage of the new welfare law, especially in towns most subject to the law’s provisions. Using Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Report data, we also find evidence that such results hold independent of the reform’s effects on other personal crimes and crimes in general.
Power laws and fragility in flow networks

What makes economic and ecological networks so unlike other highly skewed networks in their tendency toward turbulence and collapse? Here, we explore the consequences of a defining feature of these networks: their nodes are tied together by flow. We show that flow networks tend to the power law degree distribution (PLDD) due to a self-reinforcing process involving position within the global network structure, and thus present the first random graph model for PLDDs that does not depend on a rich-get-richer function of nodal degree. We also show that in contrast to non-flow networks, PLDD flow networks are dramatically more vulnerable to catastrophic failure than non-PLDD flow networks, a finding with potential explanatory power in our age of resource- and financial-interdependence and turbulence.
Simultaneous determination of multiple phthalate metabolites and bisphenol-A in human urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Phthalates and bisphenol A are environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals used widely in common consumer products. There is increasing concern about human exposure to phthalates and bisphenol A due to the potential adverse effects related to the anti-androgenic activity of phthalates and estrogenic activity of bisphenol A. In assessing environmental exposure to phthalates and bisphenol A, it is essential to have a validated analytical method that can quantify trace concentrations of phthalate metabolites and bisphenol A in humans. In this study, we developed and validated an accurate, sensitive, and robust LC-MS/MS method to simultaneously quantify 5 phthalate monoester metabolites, including mono-methyl phthalate, mono-ethyl phthalate, mono-butyl phthalate, mono-benzyl phthalate, mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, and bisphenol A in human urine. In this method, the phthalate metabolites and bisphenol A, along with their isotope labeled internal standards, were extracted from 200 μl of human urine using automated off-line solid phase extraction. The analytes were quantitatively determined using LC-MS/MS operated in negative electrospray ionization multiple reaction-monitoring mode. The limit of quantification was 0.3 ng/ml for mono-methyl phthalate, mono-ethyl phthalate, mono-benzyl phthalate and bisphenol A, and 1 ng/ml for mono-butyl phthalate and mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate. The precision and accuracy were well within the acceptable 15% range. This validated method has been used successfully in assessing exposure to phthalates and bisphenol A in humans.
Diels-Alder reactions of acyclic chiral alkoxy dienes: Oxygen versus sulfur as an allylic directing group

Abstract Facial selectivity in the Diels-Alder reaction of homochiral diense 1 and 2 was probed using three dienophiles: N-phenylmaleimide ( 5 a ), benzoquinone ( 5 b ) and 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione ( 5 c ).
Diversification of risk and saving

Abstract This paper provides evidence that domestic opportunities to share risk have contributed to lower rates of private saving. Two econometric procedures are used in the analysis: (1) traditional instrumental variables estimation, and (2) dynamic panel methods. The results reveal a negative relationship between domestic opportunities to diversify risk and aggregate private saving rates in a cross-section of developing and industrial countries.
Identification of a series of oxadiazole-substituted α-isopropoxy phenylpropanoic acids with activity on PPARα, PPARγ, and PPARδ

A series of oxadiazole-substituted α-isopropoxy phenylpropanoic acids with dual agonist activity on PPARα and PPARγ is described. Several of these compounds also showed partial agonist activity on PPARδ. Resolution of one analogue showed that PPARα and PPARγ activity resided in mainly one enantiomer, whereas PPARδ activity was retained in both enantiomers.
The effect of some centrally acting drugs on disjunctive reaction time

Callaway and Stone have proposed that drugs which arouse or depress the electroencephalographic response should differentially affect the expectancy of stimuli which occur with different frequencies. The disjunctive reaction times to stimuli with different probabilities of occurrence were tested for subjects under the effect of chloropromazine, d-amphetamine, atropine, and sucrose. The data demonstrated that subject's RT is a function of the probabilities of the stimuli, that chloropromazine increases RT and that amphetamine decreases RT. There was no evidence to support the hypothesis of a differential drug effect on the “probabilistic coding” of stimuli with different probabilities of occurrence.
Electron microscopic study of the morphogenesis of echovirus 23

Abstract The ultrastructural features of the cytopathology which accompanies the replication of echovirus 23 in African green monkey kidney cells is reported. Infected cells first undergo a marked clumping and margination of nuclear chromatin, followed by degenerative changes in the membranous organells of the cell. Affected structures include the nuclear membrane, mitochondrial cristae, and smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum. Virus particles are first evident at the periphery of membrane-limited vesicles located in the perinuclear area. No well-defined viral inclusions or semicrystalline arrays of virus particles are seen. Virus appears to exit from the cells by fragmentation of the plasma membrane.
Arithmetic cusp shapes are dense

In this article we verify an orbifold version of a conjecture of Nimershiem from 1998. Namely, for every flat n-manifold M, we show that the set of similarity classes of flat metrics on M which occur as a cusp cross-section of a hyperbolic (n + 1)-orbifold is dense in the space of similarity classes of flat metrics on M. The set used for density is precisely the set of those classes which arise in arithmetic orbifolds.